Bank supports OASI life-learning programme for children

A five-day summer retreat had a jam-packed programme of activities for children from the OASI Kids Club.

The Gozo-based OASI Foundation is well known for its preventive education, crisis intervention, treatment of and rehabilitation from abuse of illegal and other substances.

The 2008 Summer OASI Learning Experience (SOLE) was held at St Joseph Hostel in Għajnsielem. Thanks to the financial assistance of the HSBC Cares for Children Fund, SOLE was able to give its young participants, aged between 10 and 14, the opportunity to have a live-in experience and learn basic social skills together with other children.

The experience was built around practical sessions on how to deal with challenging life situations and entertaining events to boost children's self-esteem. Besides in-house activities and crafts sessions, different excursions of personal preference to the participants were also organised to Xlendi Bay, Għadira Bay and Blue Lagoon in Comino.

OASI director general Fr Emmanuel Cordina said: "The OASI Kids Club embraces a policy of inclusion to ensure that children from various social backgrounds come together and integrate with others while acquiring the right social skills and values they all need to move on in life in a happily balanced way.