The Richmond Foundation has used €10,000 from the Good Causes Fund to refurbish a house it bought in Tarxien to help people with mental health problems lead an independent life.

The residence, the third of its kind run by the Richmond Foundation, currently houses 10 people.

Finance Minister Tonio Fenech toured the project yesterday where he saw the extensive refurbishment on the house, which the foundation bought through a bank loan.

Foundation chief executive Doris Gauci said such a residence helps people with mental health problems lead an independent life although there still is 24-hour care.

Here, residents can buy and cook their own food, distribute house chores and live as a family.

She said the refurbishment was partly funded by the Good Causes Fund, which generates its income through a percentage tax coming from gaming.

Ms Gauci said that along with another two residences run on similar lines, the foundation, which will soon celebrate its 20th anniversary, also has 24 apartments with about 50 tenants living in the community.

Mr Fenech said the fund has helped more than 500 organisations this year. Organisations like Richmond were instrumental to help avoid the institutionalisation of people with mental health problems, he said.

The Good Causes Fund came under fire recently when the National Audit Office revealed there was “insufficient documentation” to show how the funds granted to beneficiaries were used from 2006 to 2011.

Asked about this yesterday, Mr Fenech said the shortcomings mentioned in that report had been addressed and recommendations im-plemented.

The auditor’s main bone of contention was the overseeing of how money was being spent and in relation to verification that projects were actually being completed.

Mr Fenech said this had been addressed with the introduction of a commitment letter issued when a project is accepted for financing. The actual money is then granted when a project is completed and fiscal invoices are presented.

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