The HSBC Cares For Children Fund (HCCF) has renewed its sponsorship of Caritas Malta’s Focus Schools Project.

The sponsorship cheque was presented to Mgr Victor Grech, Director of Caritas, by Mrs Catherine Gonzi, chairperson of HCCF, in the presence of Archbishop Mgr Paul Cremona OP.

HCCF’s relationship with Caritas goes back to 2001, when the bank sponsored the Caritas Malta website for school children – www.teenzone.org.mt. In 2004, HCCF started supporting the schools project, donating a total of Lm20,000 throughout the years and this year, a further Lm5,000 has been contributed. This translates into a total contribution of Lm25,000 over the years.

“The HSBC Cares For Children Fund has been supporting Caritas ever since this fund was set up more than six years ago,” said Shaun Wallis, chief executive officer, HSBC Bank Malta plc. “It is very heartening to see such an educational programme as is Caritas’ obtain excellent results among adolescents.”

The Caritas Focus Schools Project pivots around prevention, generating awareness on drugs among adolescents, providing assertiveness skills and promoting healthy lifestyles. It also enables students to focus on issues that affect them and their immediate environment, as well as society in general.

The project also includes the youth-oriented Caritas Malta website, which hosts articles and features on daily life risks, life skills, voluntary work, social teachings, health issues and art. The site may be accessed at www.teenzone.org.mt.