Children of an equal God

Two hundred children, aged 0 to 16. Seventeen children's homes. The common factor: Very serious neglect, abuse, rejection, grave parental sickness or misconduct and abandonment. These, so to speak, are almost the lucky ones when you compare them to others on a list, waiting to be accommodated while they can be roaming the streets.

These are our Maltese society's broken birds. They are a shocking reality albeit unknown to many Maltese. A reality so shocking it shies and hides away, invisible even to the media's inquisitive attention. I call for these children to be noticed. The media is needed to bring their reality to those who can help our homes make ends meet for these children to live the decent and dignified life they were created for, in a unit that feels like home and family.

Anyone running a home, albeit a domestic one, knows the sums needed to live on. We cannot quantify the expenditure one would incur to run our homes. Most of what we have is provided for by religious sisters and fathers, who do not earn a salary for their 24/7 work, and benefactors, from our daily bread, to physical, psychological and emotional support services, education, extra curricular activities and the environment we live in.

Our Church agency, Ejjew Għandi, more commonly referred to as Children's Homes, runs five child day care centres, assisting families afflicted by social problems, mostly living below the poverty line. Here, children are looked after while the parent/s go/es to work or receive therapy for a situation they are in.

We have two shelters for domestic violence victims, securing protection for both mother and children, and 11 residential homes.

Although we do our best to help these children either find their place back with their families or move on for fostering or adoption, some of them are forced to stay on. In each and every case, our carers treat every child as their own, sharing the love of a family, empowering them for life, softening the skin which, despite the tender age, might have become too thick for comfort.

Every child has a right for a secure future.

This is made possible through the support of our benefactors. HSBC is one such example. I hope, for the children's sake, that other companies take a close look at what the bank does for these children and consider making an ongoing contribution according to their means. Through the HSBC Cares for Children Fund (HCCF), the bank helps our homes in two ways: By paying for the therapy aspect of our work and paying some of our bills to carry out maintenance and refurbishment in the homes.

The HCCF also holds two annual events for our children: The carnival party, which this year took place at the Hilton, and the Comino summer boat party. These are both treats our children look forward to with immeasurable enthusiasm. The three dress-down days organised again by HSBC, where its staff donate the equivalent of Lm1 each with the bank doubling the amount, has also proved to be a great help in raising funds.

HSBC is not alone in this. Help is also forthcoming from other banks, the Archdiocesan Office of Administration, the College of Parish Priests, the Ministry for the Family and Social Solidarity and other government ministries and agencies, the National Lottery for Good Causes Fund, the Malta Community Chest Fund, different companies and individual benefactors. I wish my appeal reaches far and wide enough to lengthen this list.

The number of children with challenging behaviour fighting traumas outside structures to contain their frustrations is increasing and resources are needed to address these realities. Voluntary work is not enough. We need funds to guarantee continuity in the care we give these children.

Help us give these broken birds a set of wings enabling them to fly.

Mgr Zammit McKeon is director, Central Office, Ejjew Għandi (Children's Homes).