born from lived experience
We are parents of a young girl with Down syndrome.
We have lived the crises, the burnout, the search for a moment of true regeneration. Rinfresca exists because that search shouldn't be a private burden carried alone.
Vision
A world in which families of people with special needs share a balanced well-being pathway, where everyone can express their potential.
Mission
Creating healing, capacity-building and self-advocacy programs, starting with families of people with intellectual disability, to support everyone's self-determination.
Values
- Inclusion
- Collaboration
- Integrity
- Responsibility
- Care
Management
The founding team.
Anique Vered Sachy
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer
With twenty years of experience in communities, organisations and institutions on five continents, Anique specialises in partnerships, interdisciplinary research, social innovation, pedagogy, curation, and community cultural development. Raised in an award-winning family business in the accessible tourism sector, she has a proven track record in bringing together different civil society and institutional partners on visionary initiatives that generate tangible social impact. Examples include capacity building with socially excluded communities, high-profle conferences, award-winning urban placemaking and heritage interpretation. Anique's interdisciplinary research has seen her collaborate with international networks on responsible research and innovation and research-creation. This includes presenting innovative co-creation and learning techniques at international conferences and events, including with the Knowledge and Innovation Unit of the United Nations Development Programme. Anique has led the creation of consortia and won Horizon2020 tender proposals. She has co-edited an international journal and published articles and book chapters with leading academic publishers such as Routledge. Anique's current research focus is on developing the methodology for Self- advocacy Art to contribute to the goals of the neurodiversity and disability rights movements in social change.
Marco Sachy, PhD
Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer
A senior researcher with over 20 years of experience as a manager and research consultant in the digital sector. Before dedicating himself full time to Rinfresca from January 2025, Marco was Associate Science Director at Data61 at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, the Australian Federal Government's research agency. There he developed the strategy for international collaborations with an impact spanning more than a thousand research directors, research group leaders, senior researchers and doctoral students in the field of deep technologies (DeepTech): Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, Robotics, Cybersecurity. Previously he worked for 5 years as Project Offcer at the European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Ispra site on projects for the use of Blockchain technology in various contexts: nuclear safeguards, energy communities and public services. As in-house consultant and product manager at Dyne.org Foundation, he led Horizon2020 grants for research and technological development: Bitcoin and Blockchain for the social good, digital welfare, direct democracy and Blockchain venture builder projects for European competitiveness. Marco was Co-founder of the startup Prosume, renewable energy sector. He is a Certified Holistic Operator.
Collaborators
Practitioners shaping the programs.
Fabrizio Rota
Music-therapy
Drummer and teacher since 1978. Trained with leading musicians in Rome since 2005 across jazz and commercial fields. Graduating student in Music-therapy in the Globality of Languages led by Professor Stefania Guerra Lisi.
Rosy Sinicropi
Art-therapy
Photographer based between Lake Maggiore and Lake Orta. Conducts self-portrait workshops as autobiographical, personal and collective analysis. Student of Spanish artist Cristina Nuñez. Has run photography-as-self-narration work in schools, prisons, refugee centres and with Gaza Strip, West Bank and Ukrainian women refugees.
Luca Diana
Massage therapist
Specialises in bioenergetics and massage therapy — pain respite, posture, anti-cellulite and therapeutic physiotherapy. Developed a paired-learning method designed for family caregivers and their recipients with special needs.
Partnerships
The network that powers the pathway.
Accommodation providers
Italian destinations starting our Respite Retreat programming.
La Fiorida
4-star agri-tourism with spa, the only one in Europe with a Michelin-starred restaurant. First Respite Retreat test, June 2026.
Programming partners
Specialised workers and disability cooperatives delivering capacity-building activities.
Il Gabbiano
Social cooperative with personal training, craft workshops, swimming pool with heated shallow access, neuropsychiatric clinic, occupational and speech therapy. 40+ years in the area.
B2B partnerships
Disability organisations and care networks scaling Rinfresca's services to their members.
La Mongolfiera
Disability and care association partnership for procurement of subsidised packages.