From Ms P. Vassallo

I would like to express our disappointment that the Koperattiva of the Eden Foundation has closed down after nine years of giving work to young people with a disability, with help from others.

They were part-timers who paid their national insurance and worked two extra hours a day to make up for not being able to work fast.

They will now engage paid helpers, as work in the ex Koperattiva will keep coming in. However, they told us that our kids “if we want them to, can still go there to work but with no pay”.

How is that for discrimination against people with a disability?

What makes this situation even more ridiculous is that this year is supposed to be the European Year for equality in work for people with a disability.

What will our children do now? They are frustrated; they cannot understand what is happening and do not know what to say, so we have to be their voice.

We know the Foundation has debts, but why should our children have to pay for the problems there? Others will still be working there and be paid so why not our children?

This was a beginning of proper sheltered work for kids who have communications difficulties but who still have much to give.

It is a disgrace that we had to come to this. Whatever they say about the law concerning people with disability is a joke, as the law itself discriminates against a section of people with a disability.

I do hope that someone will hear our plea and help us find paid work for our children, as they have that right as human beings – they are not an object or a number

Pauline Vassallo

QORMI