Running for inclusion, teaching for change: the best of 2025
2025 was a turning point for us at the ST Foundation: a year where numbers, stories, and recognitions came together to tell one simple truth – when technology meets commitment, people’s lives change.
In Italy, the 10th edition of the Energy Run in Agrate confirmed how a sporting event can become a symbol of long‑term commitment. The most‑read story of the year followed 87‑year‑old Board Member and former President Pietro Fox, who has never missed a single edition. His perseverance, even after a serious accident, embodies the word he chose to define the Energy Run: commitment. Thanks to this commitment, donated funds have supported projects in Sierra Leone and Burundi and contributed to the growth of programs for the visually impaired community now active in six countries worldwide.
From Greater Noida came the inspiring journey of Ajay, a volunteer who became a trainer for visually impaired learners through the “Introduction to Computer Basics for Visually Impaired” program. His experience showed how accessible technologies and the train‑the‑trainer approach can transform the way people with visual impairments access the digital world and gain independence.
Another much‑read story was that of Francesca, an engineer from Agrate who began volunteering in 2025. Through the “Digital Professions Workshop” with ACRA, she met high school students in Milan, especially young women, encouraging them to see STEM and digital skills as real opportunities for their future. Her story reminded us that volunteering can change lives starting from a single classroom.
2025 was also a year of major recognition. In Italy, the Foundation received the Terzjus “Volontari @work” Award for its digital education program in penitentiary institutions, based on refurbished computers and a train‑the‑trainer model that has involved around 1,800 people in Italy and over 11,000 beneficiaries in India. The award, given in the Italian Parliament, celebrated not only a program, but a vision: offering second chances through skills that open real doors once outside.
In India, the Digital Unify program won the IFCCI “CSR Project of the Year” Award, acknowledging more than 55,000 people reached in three years through initiatives such as our basic digital literacy, Tablet for Kids, training for visually impaired people, and Tablet for Seniors programs.
Personal commitment was celebrated through the GuardAmi award presented to Francesco Litrico in Catania for his work with young people with Down Syndrome at Futuro21 and his broader coordination of inclusion projects across Italy. His story reminds us that every hour of volunteering can contribute to a more inclusive society.
During the year, we were present at key events in France, Italy, India, and in UN contexts. In Africa a major audit and support tour helped improve existing projects, open new Digital Unify labs, and extend Wi‑Fi access for education.
By the end of 2025, we were active in 13 countries and had reached over 1.3 million beneficiaries.
Behind this number are people who wrote their first CV, discovered a passion for STEM, regained confidence after prison, or learned to use a computer despite a disability. The Best of 2025 lies in these transformations and in the shared conviction that no one should be left behind by the digital revolution.
The Best of 2025 is not only in the awards, events, or figures, but in the people who chose to act: those who ran, taught, listened, programmed, trained, repaired equipment, crossed borders, and entered classrooms, prisons, and community centers: our volunteers. Thanks to them, we can look ahead with confidence, knowing that every new project, every new lab, and every new course is one more step towards a world where no one is left behind by the digital revolution.