My name is Rosanna, but you can call me Dora
Entrepreneur, mother, philanthropist. For me, business is a “social good”: at its core lies human dignity, which comes before the bottom line.
This is the guiding principle that has inspired our family and business journey and continues to guide me every day.
I have been awarded the title of Cavaliere del Lavoro for my achievements in business, my personal contributions, and my philanthropic work; but above all, I am an “entrepreneur driven by love.”
Go home and build your own Paradise.
These words, which I received from Father Giacinto at the Capuchin monastery in Arienzo, sparked my rebirth and forever changed my outlook on life.
People have been talking about me
I grew up in Campania, in a house full of flowers: beauty was everywhere, but beneath it all there was also fragility.
As an adult, I went through some difficult years, until one day, almost without realizing it, I found myself standing in front of the Capuchin monastery in Arienzo. There I met Father Giacinto: he listened to me at length and shared a simple yet powerful phrase with me — "Build your own Paradise" — which opened up a new path for me.
Since then, I have learned to turn pain into a gift and to view my work as a service.
Together with my husband, Angelo Affinita and our children, we have built and grown a company that is now recognized as a symbol of Italian excellence, but above all, it is a community where people take center stage.
Our motto? “We,” not “I”:“You can’t get anywhere on your own.”
In the 2010 was established the Angelo Affinita Foundation to ensure the long-term impact of our charitable work: we support children, education, decent work, and social cohesion. Among our projects: the Family Center in Arpaia (in partnership with Banco Alimentare FEAD), Casapane (a social enterprise that provides employment for young people in need), Casa do Menor in Brazil, and the Mammut mobile workshop in the most vulnerable neighborhoods. We collaborate with Nuovi Orizzonti and the Bocelli Foundation, among others. Casa do Menor in Brazil, and the mobile workshop Mammut in the most vulnerable neighborhoods. We collaborate with Nuovi Orizzonti and the Bocelli Foundation.
My faith has taught me to choose Love—with a capital “L”—as a daily practice: “If we know how to bear our cross, it blossoms into flowers.”. This is what I wish to bear witness to: we can be reborn, here and now.
Get “Thoughts and Reflections” delivered straight to your inbox
Sign up to receive reflections, words of wisdom, and updates on the Foundation’s special projects and the book.