Wouldn’t a coffee taste so much better if you knew, as you sip it, that you are helping someone else? Next week, Jacob’s Brew is opening its doors in Marsascala. The café, whose social enterprise concept was inspired by a family’s struggle with trauma and survival, is built around the idea of creating a place to help and support others.
Sarah Cachia, the mother of Jacob Cachia, the teenager who survived a traumatic struggle against meningoencephalitis four years ago, spoke to The Malta Independent on Sunday about this innovative café and the projects in the pipeline planned solely to boost the morale of those going through a traumatic experience.
So what is this ‘pay it forward’ concept?
“Firstly, every person who chooses to come for a coffee at Jacob’s Brew is automatically paying it forward just by being a customer there. They are coming to a shop that offers a socially-conscious coffee for the first time in Malta,” Sarah said. The idea is that a percentage of annual profits will go towards the family’s socially-conscious projects and NGO ‘Survivors Malta’, which was co-founded by Sarah and Jacob in 2013. The NGO offers a community support-base for those going through a difficult time, encouraging each other to share experiences and support.
From another angle, the pay it forward idea will be executed by using little ‘pay it forward stamps’ given to each customer.
“When customers pay their bill, we will stamp the ‘pay it forward’ logo at the back of their receipt with no extra charges,” Sarah explained. “We are offering the customer the chance to pay it forward. Maybe they have a colleague at work, or a neighbour, or someone they meet, who is going through a traumatic time and needs support. That person can come to the café and we will give them a free pot of coffee,” she continued.
However, Sarah does not perceive the gesture as merely a ‘free pot of coffee’. “It is not the pot of coffee,” she stated, “it is the fact that you are inviting them to a place where they will be understood.”
To make the whole idea of this establishment even more of a ‘pay it forward’ one, the refurbishment of the coffee shop was also coincidentally brought about in a ‘pay it forward’ act of kindness. “Best Deal Properties directors Erskine Vella and Chris Attard decided to pay it forward to my family by fully funding the refurbishment of the shop,” Sarah explained. “O'Hea Opticians, Pro Health Ltd and even students at MCAST donated funds to help us make Jacob's dream come true, not to mention the countless people who believe in my son and who helped us in some way or another!”
At the age of 15, Jacob unexpectedly found himself battling the rare condition meningoencephalitis – an infection of the lining of the brain and brain substance. He had to spend months in hospital undergoing major brain operations. The sudden near-fatal condition and situation was also a traumatic experience for Sarah, her husband Sammy and daughter Chloe.
Miraculously, Jacob survived. A titanium plate was placed to shield the side of his brain, replacing the skull that been removed in the operation, which gave Jacob his superhero nickname ‘Titanium Man’. Following his experience, a book entitled ‘Jacob, My Titanium Man’ was published, one of Jacob’s dreams, the other being the opening of a coffee shop.
“To see Jacob’s dream coming true is so fulfilling for a mother,” she said emotionally. “I cannot describe how fulfilling it is.”
Sarah proudly states that now, 19-year-old Jacob is still pushing to succeed. “Jacob always looks forward,” she said. “Four-and-a-half years ago, we were told he would become a vegetable. But he went back to school, and is studying business. He walks, talks, reasons and argues,” she said, laughing at the thought of him arguing with her. “He strives to get better, succeed and move on.”
Sarah recalled that when he was discharged from hospital, she asked the doctors whether there was a support group she could approach to help provide the family with support and courage, but the doctors did not know of any.
“We were feeling frightened and alone,” she said, and came up with the idea to begin Survivors Malta, which over the years has brought many survivors together. “We have created something out of our pain to help others, and at the same time it has helped us to heal.”
The motivated mother has a whole range of projects and ideas which she is excited to start. For one, a room at the back of the new café will be allocated to support groups. “I have support groups who want to use the shop for a coffee morning,” she said. “At the back of the shop there is a support room, where they can have little cluster meetings, motivational talks and things like that.”
Shortly after opening, Jacob’s Brew plan to start a project called ‘Jacob’s Coffee Run where, every Sunday, sandwiches and coffee will be given to families in the waiting area of the ITU at Mater Dei hospital. The family also plans to open a pet therapy clinic at Mater Dei called ‘The Reunited Pet Cabin’.
Sarah says she knows the coffee shop and all her projects will be challenging and hard work, however she is adopting a ‘why not’ attitude, as opposed to a ‘what if’ one.
She also spoke about her hope that people will follow up on this idea. “I know it isn’t easy,” she said, “but if more people could just leave that little bit back and put it towards the support of others, it will create such a lovely community.
“We hope to create a ripple effect, survivors meeting survivors is simply the best medicine,” she concluded.
Jacob’s Brew will open this weekend during the feast of St Anne. It is located on Triq Salini, Marsascala