Tamika, who is one year old, crawls around a playroom, climbing over colourful cushions, when she suddenly bursts into an infectious giggle as she spots her mother crouched inside a small plastic house.

The toddler, who was born with Down’s syndrome, charges into the arms of her mother in one of the sensory stimulation playrooms at Inspire – the Foundation for Inclusion, at Marsa-scala.

“We’ve brought Tamika here since she was one week old,” her parents, Nicole and Joe Barbara say, as they go on to explain how the therapy received at Inspire is instrumental in helping their daughter’s development.

Tamika, who is 18 months old, will be the face behind the new Friends of Inspire fund-raising initiative to be launched at the end of the month.

Through the initiative people can enrol to make monthly contributions to the foundation, which works with more than 1,000 children and adults with various learning and physical disabilities.

Thanks to Inspire, Tamika receives occupational and speech therapy and attends an educational baby club where she exercises her social skills. A personal tutor also goes to her house once a week.

“Children with Down’s usually take longer to develop. But I’ve already noticed progress in Tamika. She points to animals and makes sounds. She can crawl and is now standing up alone,” her mother says.

Tamika is a little ball of energy throughout the interview with her parents and is particularly interested in my notebook. Her little, plump hands suddenly reach out for a page, tears it out and – typical of her age – puts it straight into her mouth.

“You like eating paper but then you don’t eat your food,” her mother jokes affectionately as she takes the smudged sheet out of her daughter’s hands.

Mrs Barbara explains that Tamika is the youngest of their four children who include two girls, Roanna and Jana aged 17 and nine, and their 11-year-old son Jordi.

When Mrs Barbara was pregnant with Tamika she was not aware of her child’s condition but had a feeling something was different this time.

“When, soon after birth, the doctor came up to me and told me we had a daughter with a condition, I immediately said ‘Down’s syndrome’. I had a feeling.

“I asked to see her and, when I did, it was as though she reached out her hand. I knew she was my daughter and I loved her instantly,” she said.

The couple were told about the support offered by Inspire and, a week after Tamika was born, they took her there.

“Apart from helping Tamika, Inspire also helped us not to feel alone,” Mr Barbara says as his wife adds: “Just because we have a daughter with this condition does not mean our life is over. I divide my time between looking after my children and my hobbies.”

“Tamika is my life challenge and I will help her, one day at a time, and do whatever I can to help... I would never change her for anything,” she says.

“The money people donate to Inspire can help so many children like my daughter. I never thought it would happen to me but it did and it can happen to anyone. Support helps a lot,” she adds.

Anyone who wishes to become a Friend of Inspire can enrol online and donate €3, €5, €10 or €25 a month by visiting www.inspire.org.mt/donate or by calling 2189 0000.