In Romagnese, a tiny town in the Oltrepò Pavese, a newborn baby hadn't been heard crying since 1957. Sixty-six years later, finally, a cry.
Surname Truddaiu, there is a bit of Sardinia in the veins of little Marghelisa , three kilos and 600 grams, born a few days ago in these verdant lands from her father Luca, 25, from the Perfugas family who moved to Lombardy in the Sixties, and mother Elisa Nervetti, 36, originally from these areas.
Theirs is a story of hope and resilience. And which can teach something to the many municipalities afflicted by the drama of depopulation, even in Sardinia.
It all started four years ago just a few months after Covid. She is employed on a farm, he is a real estate agent, Elisa and Luca met and fell in love instantly, in 2019. In 2020, the explosion of the pandemic with the dramatic lockdown and the question everyone asked, «What are we doing ?», the answer was immediate and almost obvious: «Let's go to the countryside».
Luca joined Elisa and together they settled in a villa in Romagnese, a town of 500 souls, and precisely in the hamlet of Canedo, where there are nine souls. With Marghelisa, now, ten. As Luca Truddaiu tells us.
Why did you choose Canedo?
«My partner's father lives nearby, we wanted to be close to him. But above all we needed to live in the countryside, with a milder climate than the Po valley, and lots of fresh air. The house is the one of our dreams, surrounded by greenery, with lots of farmyard animals».
Pros and cons of living in such a small town?
«Honestly, on the other hand, I don't see any. The pros: the peace, the serenity, the strong sense of community that we all feel. For anything you know you can knock on a door and there is always someone who will lend you a hand. Then Romagnese isn't so desolate… there are a bank, a post office, a pharmacy, as many as two bars. And all around splendid places to be rediscovered and which are starting to experience a good moment from a tourist point of view ».
How far is the Policlinico di Pavia, where Marghelisa was born?
“An hour and a half by car. It seems like a lot, I realize, but we are predisposed to travel and for Elisa, used to traveling for work every day like me, it was manageable even if her water broke. This is also part of the compromise and life we have chosen. What is an inconvenience for others is the strong point for us».
Did you expect all this fuss about your little girl?
“Actually not. It all started with the invitation of the mayor of Romagnese, Manuel Achille, to give an interview to the Province of Pavia to give the news. We said yes, not so much for ourselves, but because we wanted to spread the message that you can live in these areas, have a family, invest in the future of the area».
Speaking of the future, how do you see yours?
“Definitely here. We have both had experience in big cities, or comfortable cities in the usual sense of the term. And we thought we were happy, but these last four years have made us totally change our minds. The goal is to establish ourselves more and more in the area and take root in these places that I would define as resilient".