St Aloysius’ College students and staff recently presented almost €6,000 to Fr Vince Magri, SJ, in support of a campaign to raise funds for a literacy project called Iċ-Ċavetta.

The project, coordinated by the Jesuit-run Paulo Freire Institute in Żejtun, aims to break the barriers of illiteracy for 1,000 Maltese men and women, offering free tuition and support.

Together with almost €1,000 which was donated online through the Jesuits’ website www.jesuit.org.mt and through other monetary donations, the funds raised reached the €7,000 mark.

The funds were raised by members of the Jesuits and Friends team who participated in the Land Rover Malta Marathon 2013, as well as by St Aloysius’ College students through a dress-down day, a college staff donation and through proceeds from a Christmas concert, which took place at the college.

The total campaign target is €30,000, and the funds raised will go towards the reproduction of the award-winning Iċ-Ċavetta Maltese literacy toolkit, which consists of a series of books and workbooks, cards and DVDs.

They will also allow for an upgrade of software and hardware required to deliver the training as well as the actual training of more tutors to offer the toolkit to more organisations who work in the field of illiteracy.

Paulo Freire Institute would like to reach 1,000 individuals with low levels of literacy who are facing social exclusion and difficulties to access the labour market, as they are the most vulnerable.

Online donations may be made at www.jesuit.org.mt. Cheque donations may be sent to Paulo Freire Institute, Dar P. Ġuże Delia, SJ, 13th December Square, Żejtun. Money donations may be deposited into the institute’s BOV savings account 40015584173.