The Minister for European Funds and the Implementation of the Electoral Programme, Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, visited the Caritas Community Centre in Blata l-Bajda, a modern and accessible facility financed through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

This €4.2 million project, of which €2.8 million was financed by the EU, brings together under one roof all non-residential Caritas services and its administrative operations. The facility provides a more efficient, structured and professional environment that enhances access to and quality of services offered to vulnerable persons in the community. Thanks to this investment, an additional 600 vulnerable individuals are now receiving improved and more adequate services.

During his visit, the minister praised the work carried out at the centre, which strengthens national action on complex social challenges. He emphasised that this is one of the largest investments in social infrastructure ever implemented in the country through EU funds, and that it is making a tangible difference in people's lives.

The minister also referred to other EU-funded projects supporting Caritas, including the Caritas Tal-Ibwar Centre, financed through the European Social Fund (ESF). This €100,000 project enhanced educational support for adolescents facing problematic substance use, introducing ICT and digital-media training to provide a more modern and holistic educational approach.

He also mentioned the Stepping Stone project, which aims to provide a safe and recreational environment for women and their children who have completed rehabilitation programmes, and which will also extend to young people who have successfully completed specialised programmes at Tal-Ibwar. This initiative offers a protected and stable space to prevent individuals from returning to toxic environments and to help them build a safer future.

Caritas Malta Director, Anthony Gatt, expressed the organisation's appreciation for the continued support from EU funds and the Government. He stated that the projects allow Caritas to maintain high-quality professional services and to increase capacity while remaining present for the most vulnerable.

The minister concluded by thanking the Caritas staff and volunteers for their commitment, emphasising that the Government will continue prioritising projects that strengthen social infrastructure and promote inclusion. Through the new EU funding programme, the country will continue to enhance these services to ensure that no one is left behind.