It was only after Joe Abela passed away last July that his family discovered he had put aside €55,000 to help disadvantaged children. His daughter, Janice Abela Crompton, tells Veronica Stivala about her father’s generosity.
Born a year before the start of the Second World War, Joe Abela grew up in tough times and was forced to earn money for his family even though he was still at school.
I am now able to see how his hard work will help make a difference
The selfless young boy would help his mother with housework and babysit his nine younger siblings while she was at work.
Mr Abela lived to help others right till the day he died. Having got married in Malta and, already with three children, would slave away at night to support his family. However, the night hours were not kind on a mother bringing up three children and the family moved to Australia in the hope of providing a better life for their offspring.
The youngest of six of Mr Abela’s children, Janice Abela Crompton describes her dad as a “very serious man who didn’t joke around a lot but who was very focused and determined”. She explains how her father was the sort who would not talk much about what he was doing but would just go ahead and get what he wanted done.
Admitting that as a child she wished she had a “normal dad who’d play golf like the other dads” she now looks admirably at an altruistic man who always put others first.
Having landed in Australia without being able to speak a word of English, Mr Abela worked his way up through various jobs at a printing press, the local council and the bank.
“His main aim was to provide for his family. He wasn’t very wealthy growing up so he wanted to give his family what he didn’t have,” reminisces Ms Abela Crompton.
But it was not only his children he wanted to provide for. Mr Abela always had his hometown, Żejtun, at heart. About 15 years after moving to Australia, he started the St Catherine Social Club Hadfield and it was through the club that he carried out fundraising over the past 30 years, always with the aim that the money would go back to an orphanage in Żejtun.
Ms Abela Crompton explains how it was only after he died that the family discovered €55,000 he had worked so hard for.
Finding the orphanage had closed down, Ms Abela Crompton began to identify charitable organisations in Żejtun through Google. Following numerous futile searches, she was on the verge of throwing in the towel when one last attempt led her to Inspire – the Foundation for Inclusion.
In addition to funding items such as a new computer and an interactive whiteboard, a portion of the money has been allotted for a new musical programme at Inspire. The reason is to honour Mr Abela’s passion for music.
The donation has been received with much gratitude from Inspire, which depends on voluntary contributions.
“This most generous donation goes towards ensuring we can continue to support those who depend on us,” said Inspire’s senior manager for disability services Paula Doumanov.
Inspire provides educational, therapeutic and recreational services to over 1,000 children and adults with disabilities.
The remaining €25,000 (of the €55,000) has been donated to Żejtun council and will be used to help complete a child day care centre, the brainchild of mayor Joe Attard which the council hopes to open soon.
Ms Abela Crompton explains: “Unfortunately dad was unable to make the donations himself due to his illness and it was after his passing that the remaining committee members Frances Azzopardi, Spiro Fenech, Emmanuel Farrugia and myself got together to give the donation and carry out his wishes.”
She lauds her father’s selfless gesture, saying: “I was always proud to be his daughter, however, in making these donations to these worthy causes I feel an even greater honour at being his daughter as I am now able to see how his hard work will help make a difference.”
For details on how to contribute, e-mail friends@inspire.org.mt or call 2189 0000.