Marathon of activities in aid of St Joseph's Home on Friday

The sixth edition of the 60-hour transmission marathon Oħloq Tbissima, in aid of the missions in Peru, Pakistan and the Philippines and for projects at St Joseph Home in Sta Venera, will start at the home on Friday at noon.

The home, run by the Missionary Society of St Paul, currently caters for 18 boys, aged between seven and 18, whose families cannot care for them.

About 15 projects have been lined up to benefit from the funds raised, said the organiser, Fr Louis Mallia, although no targets are being set.

Among the projects is a plan to provide the boys with extended educational services, such as private tuition by professionals, to help them cope better at school. Most fell behind due to psychological problems.

Last year, the focus was on professional psychological assistance for the boys, said Marthese Brincat, assistant director of Ċam Productions International, the media arm of the MSSP. She pointed out that the home is not funded by the Church, nor by the government.

Fr Mallia, who is also the CPI director, said that €710.458 had been collected over the past five marathons, which were just some of the fund-raising activities held. Over the past five years, the CPI has sent €2.3 million to the missions.

The marathon will be broadcast in its entirety on Melita Cable's Channel 30 and Education 22 and is being streamed on di-ve.com, while Net TV, One TV and PBS will be airing parts of it.

The activities consist of discussions, prayers, variety shows for children as well as features on the missionary work under way.