The Finance Ministry’s Parliamentary Secretary Tonio Fenech yesterday presented a contribution of €35,000 from the Ministry’s National Lotteries Good Causes Fund to St Joseph’s Home, in St Venera.
“We are constantly trying to transform this massive building into something more homely for the kids and we shall be investing the funds in four new shower units for them,” said the home’s director Fr Frankie Cini. “Thanks to this project and the new internal showers the younger boys will not have to cross through a cold corridor in order to reach them anymore, but will have them right beside their rooms,” explained Fr Cini.
“All the boys are referred to us from Appogg. In fact even when they come directly to our doors, we first have to send them to Appogg to be sure that their situation really necessitates a placing here,” he added. Most of the boys come from broken families and a few of them also have special needs.
The Parliamentary Secretary Tonio Fenech said: “I would like to thank you and all the care-workers for their hard work, and for helping these children who unfortunately are not going through a positive situation with their families and therefore had to be sent here. We are pleased that the Good Causes Fund is a means for our society to contribute towards improving their life.”
Fr Cini thanked him on behalf of the children and the staff for “improving their quality of life, by contributing the money needed to create new showers, in order to help give them a healthy, sane environment which in turn helps them to heal from the traumas they have experienced, despite the fact that they can not be given what they have lost.” Eventually many of the boys are encouraged to work, and supported until they find their feet within society.
The upstairs rooms where the children reside were very welcoming and had a cheerful and well-kept, colourful atmosphere partly thanks to the beautiful wall murals painted by one of the care-workers, Anthony Catania. One of the most exuberant of the boys was very excited to show us around the building, especially his room, and it clearly showed that he was indeed happy and proud of his ‘home’.
The Ministry of Finance National Lotteries Good Causes Fund is generated from a percentage of the taxes raised by the national lotteries as well as those prizes which are not collected. During the last year contributions amounting to € 2.8 million were given to 150 organisations in different sectors.
If anyone is interested in donating money for the St Joseph’s Home Bread Fund or Psychological Services Fund, they can contact the home by calling the director on 21245046 or emailing [email protected].