Amy Zahra, 11, awarded for kindness

Eleven-year-old Amy Zahra has been awarded the Pope John XXIII Kindness award for helping out her friend and classmate Jessica Bezzina who suffers from a rare developmental disorder.

Amy and Jessica are both students at the Sta Monica Primary School in Birkirkara and, for the past four years, Amy has been helping Jessica who has problems communicating.

Jessica suffers from Cornelia de Lange Syndrome and can only communicate through gestures and loud noises. But Amy manages to understand her friend and calm her down.

Every morning Amy waits for Jessica at the school doors and accompanies her to class where other students also give a helping hand.

“I’m very happy that the help I have been giving to Jessica had been rewarded. I did not help her for the reward but its nice to get some credit,” Amy said with a smile.

She added that, before Monday, she had never heard about this award and was very surprised when she was informed she had been chosen.

The award was given to her by President George Abela and is given every year, by the Peace Lab, to commemorate the anniversary of the death of Pope John XXII.