Skip to content
  • Happy Health
  • Happy Mindset
  • Animal Wonders
  • About Us
    • Team
  • Subscribe
Menu
  • Happy Health
  • Happy Mindset
  • Animal Wonders
  • About Us
    • Team
  • Subscribe
Happy News

One Birth Brings Hope To A Nearly Empty Italian Town

In Pagliara dei Marsi, an ancient village on the slopes of Mount Girifalco in Italy’s Abruzzo region where cats vastly outnumber people, celebrations erupted in March when baby Lara became the first child born there in almost 30 years. The entire community of roughly 20 people attended her christening in the church opposite her home, and the nine month old has become such a novelty that she is now the main tourist attraction, with visitors coming specifically because they heard about her. Her mother Cinzia Trabucco, a 42 year old music teacher who was born near Rome, moved to the village where her grandfather was born because she always wanted to raise a family far from the chaos of a city. Lara’s arrival is a symbol of hope but also a sobering reminder of Italy’s worsening demographic crisis, with births in the country reaching a historic low of 369,944 in 2024 and the fertility rate falling to 1.18 children per woman.

Mayor Giuseppina Perozzi said the village has been suffering from drastic depopulation and expressed gratitude to Cinzia and her partner Paolo Bussi for starting a family, hoping it will inspire others to do the same. The couple received a one time payment of 1,000 euros after Lara’s birth plus monthly child support of about 370 euros, but their main struggle is juggling childcare around work since Italy’s childcare system is chronically insufficient. The last time Pagliara dei Marsi had a teacher was decades ago, and the couple worry about Lara’s future schooling given the widespread school closures across Italy due to the birthrate decline. People who didn’t even know the village existed have now come just to see baby Lara, proving that sometimes one small life can shine a light on an entire community facing an uncertain future.

PrevPreviousSolar Buoys Are Solving A Deadly Problem In Ocean Fishing
NextBoss Rewards Employees With Half A Million Dollar BonusNext

Recent Articles

Happy News

Scientists Discover World’s Largest Coral Colony On The Great Barrier Reef

February 25, 2026

A breathtaking new discovery is giving ocean lovers around the world reason to celebrate. A mother-daughter duo of citizen scientists has found and mapped the world’s largest coral colony on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, a magnificent structure stretching 364 feet long with a footprint of roughly 42,765 square feet, roughly

Read More
Happy News

The Surprising Brain Benefits Of Birdwatching

February 25, 2026

If you have a birdwatcher in your life, it turns out they might be onto something far more powerful than a relaxing morning hobby. A new study published in the Journal of Neuroscience found that expert birdwatchers actually have measurably different brain structures compared to beginners, with notably denser tissue

Read More
Happy News

Taylor Swift Just Made Music History Again

February 25, 2026

Taylor Swift has done it again, and this time she has officially joined some of the most legendary company in music history. Her sparkling new single Opalite just hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming her 14th career chart-topper and placing her in a tie with Rihanna for

Read More
« Previous Next »
  • Privacy Notice
  • Accessibility Notice
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Unsubscribe
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Privacy Notice
  • Accessibility Notice
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Unsubscribe
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2026 HappyNews.