A symbolic walk by sports personalities and our young adults in aid of the Eden Foundation is being held today as an expression of solidarity and support with persons with developmental disabilities aspiring to find or retain employment.

The walk starts at The Strand, Sliema, at 10.30 am.

The following sports personalities have accepted to participate: Sue Abela, John Attard, Matthew Axiaq, Jonathan Balzan, Simon Bonello, Alex Borg, Dione Borg, Louis Borg, Sandra Borg, Pierre Brincat, Carmel Busuttil, Lisa Camenzuli, Simon Chetcuti, William Chetcuti, Charles Cilia, Andrew Cohen, Massimo Cremona, Envic Galea, Vicki Licari, Michael Mifsud, Frans Pace, Salvu Portelli, Tony Sammut, Dorianne Theuma, Carol Walsh, Francesca Xuereb, Martina Xuereb, Bernard Vassallo, Neil Dent, Mario Spiteri, Ray Farrugia, Mario Muscat, Mark Miller, Rebecca D’Agostino, Natasha.

The organisers are expecting more sports personalities to join in.

One of the services provided by the Eden Foundation over the last 13 years helps young adults with developmental disabilities to integrate in places of work. Through the Employment Training and Support Programme, over 120 persons where employed. 95 of these succeeded to retain their job.

Some have now been employed for over 12 years. The variety of jobs in which these persons are engaged shows that given the chance and the right support, persons with disability can make it. The progress registered in this sector in Malta is due to the introduction of job coaching services by the Eden Foundation and the setting-up of the Eden Co-operative which creates employment opportunities for persons in need of ongoing support in order to perform well in a work environment.

The Eden Foundation has an agreement of collaboration with the Employment and Training Corporation whereby every year, 18 persons with disability are referred to the Eden Foundation for training and job placement.

The agreement provides for payment of subsidies on the basis of services delivered. These subsidies cover only part of expenses and hence the Eden Foundation needs to raise funds to make ends meet. This year the Eden Foundation needs to raise over Lm400,000 through donations and fund raising activities. The Employment Training and Support Programme on its own has to raise around Lm 50,000.

The idea to organise the Sports Stars Challenge was developed from the reality that sportspersons and persons with disabilities constantly face challenges. The Eden Foundation would like to present another challenge to sportspersons……….a challenge to raise funds to help persons with disabilities to overcome the challenge to develop their potential to the full.

The organisers have approached 50 sports personalities who have excelled in their respective disciplines and invited them to take up this challenge to raise funds in aid of the Eden Foundation’s Employment Training and Placement Programme.

The Sports Personalities who will be supporting this campaign come from different sports disciplines, which include football, badminton, shooting, etc.