Sicilian Agriturismo on Mafia-Seized Land Empowers Migrant Women Through Cooking

Al Ciliegio, an agriturismo in Salemi, Sicily, operates on property confiscated from the mafia and runs Progetto Donna, a women's project now in its 10th year. The project integrates migrant women from North Africa—mainly Tunisia—with local Sicilian women through shared cooking, language learning, and community building. About 20 women are currently involved; over 100 have participated since inception. Giusy Agueli provides support, noting that early participants needed husbands' permission but now newcomers learn autonomy. The non-profit Fondazione San Vito Onlus, led by Vito Puccio, manages the property, which was seized by the government and closed for a decade before restoration. The agriturismo serves organic Sicilian cuisine alongside Tunisian specialties like couscous, brik, and leblebi. Women live in nearby Mazara del Vallo, home to Italy's largest Tunisian community (4,000 out of 50,000 residents). The project highlights centuries-old cultural exchange between Sicily and Tunisia, reversing 19th-century migration patterns when Sicilians sought work in Tunisia. Participants like Salha Zaouali (a former German teacher) and Raja Chaouch (who learned Italian through the project) emphasize the supportive community. The restaurant's walls display a portrait of anti-mafia judge Paolo Borsellino, killed in the 1990s alongside Giovanni Falcone.