AUCI – Associazione Universitaria per la Cooperazione Internazionale 

AUCI – University Association for International Cooperation is a NGO/CSO that was created in 1978 within the Faculty of Medicine and the Surgery of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart of Rome, where it still operates in complete autonomy whilst sharing its inspiring values. 

AUCI collaborates with the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart and the Polyclinic “Gemelli” Foundation IRCCS in defining the development cooperation initiatives.

AUCI is accredited by AICS – the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, and is associated with FOCSIV – Volunteers in the World, the VIM coordination (Italian Volunteers in Madagascar) and FORUMSAD. 

AUCI takes action in development cooperation projects and projects of universal civil service, in sustainable human development by the promotion of people’s citizenship rights, eco-sustainable development, the pursuing of an ideal of social progression, and building bridges of peace and non-violence by promoting international partnership for joint actions. In particular, AUCI intervenes on:

1. The strengthening of health systems and increasing access to care. In particular maternal-infant health, chronic illnesses and infectious diseases
2. A development model centered on family farming which allows for the obtainment of the right to food, the fair governance of the common property and the development of local food supply chains. 

AUCI promotes a universal civil service program “White Helmets”, offering young people (aged between 18-28) an annual experience of international solidarity in strengthening the activities carried out by its local partners in the fields of training, rural development, health and social promotion.

Principal Partner

AUCI currently has cooperation projects in progress and international volunteering in the following countries: 

Mozambique for the development of food supply chains, technical skills and local production with the institute Agrario Sagrado Coraçao de Jesus di Namaacha (IASCJN), as well as the development of the prevention, maternal-infant care and diagnosis health services with the Mafuiane maternal-infant Centre in the District of Namaacha, in partnership with:

1. Archdiocese of Maputo 
2. Provincial Directorate of Health of Maputo 
3. Institute of Investigação Agrária de Moçambique (IIAM) del Ministero Agricoltura e Sicurezza Alimentare
4. Catholic University of Mozambique (UCM) 
5. District of Namaacha 
6. Parish of San Frumenzio of Rome 

RD Congo for the strengthening of safeguards for food security and improving the social-health services in the maternal-infant and nutritional sector in the District of Kwango, in partnership with the Diocese of Kenge. 

Kenya for the strengthening of prevention, diagnosis and treatment services in the St. Camillus Mission Hospital of Karungu and Tabaka, and the health care and social promotion of HIV-positive children in the County of Meru in partnership with: 

1. Camillian Missionaries 
2. AINA Children Home

Madagascar for strengthening prevention, diagnosis and treatment services in the Vezo Hospital of Andavadoaka, in partnership with the Friends of Ampasilava Association.

Perù for the strengthening of natural medication therapeutic services at Casa de Ritiro Holistico Anna Margottini di Huaycan (Lima) and the social promotion of students in Ocopilla/Huancayo, in partnership with:

1. Casa de Ritiro Holistico Anna Margottini di Huaycan (Lima) 
2. Multifunctional Centre “Maurizio Polverari” of Ocopilla/Huancayo 

In 2019 in Syria for the strengthening of the maternal-infant health services in the Civil Hospital of Raqqa and the health centers in the North-East of Syria, in partnership with:

1. Un Ponte Per… (UPP) 
2. Mezzaluna Rossa Kurda

AUCI intervenes in sustainable human development by the promotion of people’s citizenship rights, eco-sustainable development, the pursuing of an ideal of social progression, and building bridges of peace and non-violence promoting international partnership for joint actions. 

We contribute to the promotion of a development model centered on family farming which allows for the obtainment of the right to food, the fair governance of common property, and the development of the local and sustainable food supply chain.

We operate in the strengthening of the health system and increasing access to care, in particular in maternal-infant health, chronic illnesses and infectious diseases.