Amid the majestic Andes lies a place that has captured the hearts not only of countless mountaineers, drawn by the breathtaking landscapes of the Cordillera Blanca, but also of those who believe deeply in the power of solidarity.

Here, among snow-capped peaks and spectacular valleys, a story of concrete commitment and opportunity for local communities has taken shape - a quiet story, built on steady dedication and small, meaningful actions.

It is the story of the Escuela de Guías Don Bosco and, later, the Renato Casarotto Mountaineering Center - a school for Andean mountain guides born from the vision of Father Ugo De Censi, priest and founder of Operazione Mato Grosso.

Operazione Mato Grosso.

Founded in the 1960s by Father Ugo De Censi, Operazione Mato Grosso (OMG) is a volunteer-based organization that provides concrete support to some of the poorest communities in South America, turning solidarity into long-term opportunities through educational, infrastructural, and social projects. Its first initiatives took place in Brazil, in the region of Mato Grosso—from which the association takes its name.

OMG is characterized by hands-on volunteer work: young people and adults, Italians and locals, work side by side to build schools, mountain huts, workshops, and other essential facilities. Volunteers do more than simply offer help—they share daily life in the villages, learn from local communities, and contribute to creating a durable network of mutual support.

In this way, the association becomes a bridge between cultures, where practical work and collaboration transform solidarity into stronger, more resilient communities capable of growing and thriving together.

The Escuela de Guías Don Bosco

Among the most significant initiatives of Operazione Mato Grosso (OMG) is its support for the local communities of Marcará, in the Ancash region of Peru, at the foot of the spectacular Cordillera Blanca. Here, OMG launched an ambitious educational project aimed at the young people of the area: the creation of a school designed to provide campesino youths with the skills to become Andean mountain guides, while promoting the resources of their territory and opening new opportunities for their future.

The idea originated with Father Ugo De Censi and was carried forward by Giancarlo Sardini, a volunteer from Brescia with extensive experience in the Bolivian and Peruvian highlands. The goal was to help a group of local youths escape extreme poverty while offering tangible opportunities for the broader community. Funding came both from private donations and the proceeds of mountain huts managed by volunteers in the Alps, which were directed toward OMG missions in South America.

In the early 2000s, the Escuela de Guías Don Bosco was established by OMG volunteers under the motto “The Andes to the Andeans”. The school trains young people for life in high mountains, teaching them to move safely and manage activities related to responsible tourism. The education goes beyond technical skills: it aims to empower students as active stewards of their territory, capable of protecting and valuing the mountains around them. Guiding hikers and climbers also allows them to share local culture, creating a bridge between the natural landscape and the community’s human identity.

A School, a Bridge to the Future: The Renato Casarotto Mountaineering Center

Built on the solid foundations of the Escuela, in 2009 the Renato Casarotto Mountaineering Center was established, dedicated to the memory of the Venetian alpinist who died on K2 and was renowned for opening an extraordinary route on Huascaran Norte, one of the most important peaks in Huascarán National Park.

Inaugurated on July 18, 2009, the Center is a modern facility equipped with a hotel, restaurant, and agency, and today serves as a key destination for hikers and climbers from around the world. It is managed by young Peruvians who graduated from the Escuela, now recognized as UIAGM mountain guides and trekking guides.

Thanks to this project, more than 27 young people have secured stable employment in their homeland—as guides, assistants, or professional cooks - avoiding migration to Lima in search of an uncertain future and contributing to the sustainable development of their Andean community.

The book “On the Andes with Worn-Out Shoes” and support for OMG projects

Giancarlo Sardini collected his experiences at the Escuela de Guías Don Bosco and among the Andean communities in the book “On the Andes with Worn-Out Shoes”, recounting daily life, challenges, and adventures shared with the children and volunteers of Operazione Mato Grosso (OMG).

The book, published by Montura Editing, is intended to support the Parish House of Jangas, a village located at 2,860 meters in the Peruvian Andes, where since 1979 OMG volunteers have carried out charitable, educational, and healthcare projects. The Jangas mission hosts numerous initiatives: a vocational school for boys, a carpenters’ cooperative, a girls’ pedagogical institute, a Don Bosco Oratory with over 1,000 children, a container distribution center, and a small primary emergency healthcare facility.

Jangas serves as the base for all OMG volunteer operations in the Huaylas and Conchucos valleys: every day, trucks loaded with food, equipment, materials, and clothing depart for missions scattered throughout the vast high-Andean territory. All these efforts are made possible thanks to the volunteers’ unpaid work and the donations of generous benefactors.

Through the publication of this book, Montura concretely contributes to these initiatives, supporting youth education and the development of local communities.