An agreement has been signed between the government and the Malta Trust Foundation through which direct support will be provided to children and young people with disabilities through educational and therapeutic programmes linked to agriculture and the rural environment, the Ministry for Agriculture stated on Tuesday.
The agreement was signed by Minister Anton Refalo and President Emeritus Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca. The ministry said that through this agreement, it will provide the Malta Trust Foundation with tools, resources, and technical guidelines to develop initiatives related to the agricultural sector which will assist in the growth and personal development of children and young people with disabilities.
Refalo said that the work done by the foundation under the guidance of President Emeritus Coleiro Preca is "a clear example of how we can create more opportunities for those who need specialised support to reach their potential". He continued that the agreement shows the government's appreciation for the foundation's work and also sends a clear message of solidarity and commitment which will give a boost to the initiatives through the ministry's knowledge and resources in the agricultural sector.
President Emeritus Coleiro Preca spoke of Dar Saura in Rabat, which has been entrusted to the foundation and is being transformed into a National Empowerment Hub that will serve as a specialised space for the implementation of therapeutic and creative initiatives for children and young people with disabilities. She said that the foundation is considering this agreement as the first essential part on which the social enterprise at the Saura National Empowerment Hub will be built. She added that this agreement will also serve to offer training in the future to young women with disabilities who wish to work in the agricultural sector.
She commented that the foundation firmly believes in the power of collaboration, and that it is determined to build a national coalition through the hub so that children and young people are given the opportunity to develop new skills and achieve independence and dignity through their work, regardless of their challenges.
The ministry said that the planned programmes will include experiential learning, outdoor activities, and an introduction to adapted agricultural techniques so that young people involved can acquire new skills, establish contact with nature, and strengthen their self-confidence.
It concluded that the agreement is part of the ministry's wider policy to integrate agriculture as an educational, therapeutic, and social tool.