Transforming an abandoned village into a reception center. The struggle of Isabella, the only remaining inhabitant of Santa Chiara.

THE ONLY RESIDENT OF SANTA CHIARA

Da village ghost to place of rebirth. Isabella Flore, 88 years old, she is the only inhabitant of Santa Chiara, a hamlet of Ula Tirso in the province of Oristano, which has been practically uninhabited since 1997. This elderly lady, in fact, is the only one who has stubbornly remained, refusing to abandon her origins and the avalanche of memories that permeate her village. A courageous choice that in recent years, as she told La Nuova Sardegna, has pushed her to undertake a 'battle' in an attempt to make reborn Saint Clare.

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REPOPULATE ABANDONED VILLAGES

Aside from a few years spent on the peninsula, Isabella spent the rest of her life in this village. The Flore family arrived in this inland Sardinian town many years ago, when Isabella's father worked on the construction of the dam, which later gave rise to Lake Omodeo. At that time, Santa Chiara was a lively village, inhabited by the families of workers, who, however, once they gradually lost their jobs, decided to seek their fortune elsewhere. Today, however, Isabella dreams of being able to reverse the trend and transform this ghost town into a place where women and abused children can find peace and serenity. In fact, a few years ago, the 88-year-old created a non-profit organization and collected all the necessary documents, which she forwarded to Enel, the owner of the buildings in the Ula Tirso district. The goal is to receive approval to start a shelter that it can revive Santa Chiara and, at the same time, help people who have had very negative life experiences to emerge from the tunnel. For now, however, Isabella has not yet received a response.

UNINHABITED VILLAGES

While the answers are slow in coming, buildings are becoming increasingly dilapidated, burdened by the passing of time and lack of maintenance. Isabella, however, does not give up and despite her advanced age continues her battle, determined to ensure the survival of the historical memory of this territory. A mission he also seeks to carry forward through the dam museum, which houses many documents dating back to the time when the dam, a highly advanced engineering structure for its time, was built.

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