· By Betina Genovesi
From Clara's Heart to Eritrea: Why We Love Smile Project
I want to introduce you to a project that has become very special to our family. It's called Smile Project, and it has been helping children, families, and people with disabilities in Eritrea for years. We first learned about it through our dear friend Laura, who travels to Eritrea year after year and always comes back with stories, photographs, and experiences that stay with us long after she's returned home.
Over time, Clara started following these stories too. And if you know Clara, you know that when something catches her attention, especially when it involves children, art, or animals, you can be sure she will have plenty of opinions about it. She may not be able to express them with words, but believe me, she always finds a way to let us know what she thinks.
The stories about the children with disabilities touched her in a very personal way. Clara knows what growing up with disabilities means. She had a stroke before she was born, lives with cerebral palsy and several other diagnoses, and has spent her life finding ways to do things that most of us never even have to think about. We have been incredibly lucky to meet people who believed in her, helped us find solutions, and opened doors when others thought they should remain closed.
And that's exactly why the work Smile Project is doing means so much to us.
(Clara and her friend Laura - the first time they met in Clara's first exhibition in 2018)
A school where children can build their future
One of the projects closest to Clara's heart is the Abraha Bahta Institute for the Blind, in Asmara, Eritrea. It is the only residential school for blind children in the country, offering children with visual disabilities the chance to receive an education, learn important daily skills, build friendships, and become more independent.
When Smile Project began supporting the institute, it was facing enormous challenges. The building had been seriously damaged by war, and the children needed better spaces to study, sleep, and simply enjoy being children.
Smile Project has invested over €143,000 in improving the institute, renovating dormitories, bathrooms, and educational spaces, and providing essential learning materials. They have helped supply Braille books and equipment, computers, tablets, and other tools that allow students to learn and communicate. Since 2016, the number of children attending has grown from just 30 to more than 130.
And here is something that made us smile. In 2024, they inaugurated a new sports field where the children can play safely. Because yes, children need education, support, and independence, but they also need to run around, play games, laugh with their friends, and occasionally drive their teachers a little crazy. That's part of growing up too.
And here is something that made us smile. In 2024, they inaugurated a new sports field where the children can play safely. Because yes, children need education, support, and independence, but they also need to run around, play games, laugh with their friends, and occasionally drive their teachers a little crazy. That's part of growing up too.
(A blind student in the school in Eritrea)
The organization is now working toward adding 42 more beds and improving the facilities so even more children can have this opportunity.
I think about how important school, friendship, and experiences have been for Clara. Not everything was easy, and sometimes we had to fight very hard for things that should have been simple. But every opportunity helped her discover something new about herself. Every new experience gave her a little more independence.
That's what I love about this project. It's about giving children the tools and opportunities to build their own future.
Sometimes independence starts with something very practical
Another project that immediately caught our attention is the Adi Guadad Orthopedic Factory, also in Asmara.
This facility produces orthopedic prostheses for children and people who have lost limbs, including victims of war. But there was a major problem: the lack of reliable electricity made it difficult to keep production going.
Smile Project donated €90,000 to support the installation of a solar energy system capable of generating 100 kW of power, helping the factory continue producing the prostheses people need.
I know that solar panels may not sound like the most emotional part of a story. But think about what those panels actually mean. They mean a factory can keep working. They mean more prostheses can be made. And they mean people can have access to equipment that may help them move, work, go to school, and participate more fully in everyday life.
(Elsa Michael - president and Founder of Smile Project)
Having spent twenty years trying to find ways to help Clara become more independent, I can tell you how much the right equipment matters. Sometimes something that looks like a simple device can make an enormous difference. We have seen it with mobility equipment, therapy tools, and all the little adaptations we have made throughout Clara's life.
For someone else, it might be a prosthesis that makes going to school or getting around easier.
This is what makes the Adi Guadad project so meaningful. Smile Project identified a practical problem and helped create a solution that can keep supporting people for years to come.
And then Clara decided to paint
After following Laura's trips and learning more about these projects, Clara wanted to contribute in the way she knows best: through her art.
It started with a blank canvas. And Clara sitting in front of it, thinking.
Now, I would love to tell you that I always know what is going on inside Clara's mind when she looks at a blank canvas. After all these years, I can assure you that I absolutely do not. Sometimes I think I know exactly what she is planning, and five minutes later she does something completely different.
But what I did know was how much this project meant to her.
She created a painting especially to support Smile Project, and the artwork was sold at auction, raising €3,800 for the project! We were so happy to see how Clara's art could turn into something so meaningful for the children and families Smile Project supports.
For Clara, knowing that her art can help other people is something very special. Her paintings have traveled around the world, entered wonderful homes, and brought us experiences we could never have imagined. But being able to use her talent to support children who deserve more opportunities gives her work another purpose that we love.
(Clara and Elsa Michael - president and founder of Smile Project)
And, of course, Clara already has another plan.
She wants to go to Eritrea.
After all these years of seeing Laura's photographs and hearing her stories, visiting Smile Project has officially made it onto Clara's bucket list. She dreams of meeting the children, spending time with them, and, if possible, painting together.
I can already imagine the colors everywhere, the children having fun, and Clara probably deciding to create something much bigger than we originally planned. We will need to bring plenty of paint.
There is still so much to do
What I admire about Smile Project is that its work doesn't stop at one donation or one event. Since 2015, the organization has been working alongside local institutions in Eritrea, supporting education, healthcare, vocational training, and projects that help people build more independent lives.
They renovate schools, provide learning materials, support essential services, and help create opportunities that can continue long after a particular project is completed.
There are still children waiting for a place at school, facilities that need improvements, and people who could benefit from better access to mobility equipment and education.
And we can all be part of making those things happen.
You don't need to be an artist or organize a big fundraiser to help. You can make a donation, participate in one of Smile Project's events, share their work with friends, or simply take a little time to learn about what they do.
For those in Florence, Smile Project is organizing its Smile Market from November 6 to 8, 2026, at Manifattura Tabacchi, where you can shop for beautiful items while supporting its projects. A pretty good excuse to go shopping, if you ask me.
I hope that one day I'll be writing another blog about our trip to Eritrea, with photographs of Clara painting alongside the children she has been dreaming of meeting.
Until then, we are happy to support this wonderful organization, share its stories, and help more people discover the work it does.
And now that you know about Smile Project, I hope you'll become part of this family too.
You can learn about their projects, upcoming events, and ways to help at www.smileproject.life.
Sending love!
Betina ❤️
