Matthias and Jessica Study in Memory of Luca

Matthias Georges Benoiton was born in Mozambique in 2002 and attends a BSc program in Business Administration and Management, while Jessica Obi Kalu was born in Nigeria in 2001 and today is a student of the Integrated Master in Law. They are the recipients of the first two scholarships in memory of the alumnus and Italian ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Luca Attanasio. This financial aid is the result of a fundraiser set up by Bocconi University in the aftermath of the death of the alumnus in 2021, which saw the participation of 800 donors. On that occasion, 90 thousand euros were collected, a figure then matched by the University.

Matthias and Jessica, who also have scholarships under the 'Una Scelta Possibile' program, brought their testimony to the meeting 'Luca Attanasio's Legacy – The role of humanitarian action in Africa' organized in collaboration with the Bocconi Students for Diplomacy and International Cooperation Association and in which participated, among others, Luca's father, Salvatore Attanasio.

"Many young people believe that they have no chance for their future, that no one believes in them anymore. But today we show that this thought is wrong, today we show that many people still believe in us, invest time and money in us young people, because we are the future", explains Matthias. "The scholarship that has been given to me, represents, for me, finally that tranquility that I have been looking for a long time, has given me the opportunity to be able to realize my potential, to be able to get an excellent education and, above all, to help my family one day."

Like him, Jessica also underlines the importance of investing in the new generations: "Thanks to the generosity of the donors who have chosen to honor the memory of Luca Attanasio, I was given the opportunity to study at Bocconi and be able to realize the project of a lifetime. Without the support of those who have chosen to believe in young people, my path of growth and fulfillment would have been much more difficult. The opportunity I have been given is precious and, in turn, I will make sure that it is not wasted."

Ambassador Luca Attanasio was the victim of an ambush in Kibumba, Democratic Republic of Congo, on February 22, 2021. Also dying in the attack were carabiniere policeman Vittorio Iacovacci and the Congolese driver Mustapha Milambo.