‘People I don’t even know helped my family’

Two months ago Sarah* could barely sleep at night because she was haunted by the thought of her debt and worried about how she would feed her son.

Her story was a real wake-up call as people did not realise how bad the situation might be for others

But things are slowly improving for the 25-year-old thanks to “the kind people out there and the Millennium Chapel”.

“It’s nice to see how people, who I don’t even know, have come forward to help me and my family,” the young mother said.

After her story appeared in Times of Malta a month ago, hundreds of people called Fr Saviour Grima, who heads the Millennium Chapel, and offered to help Sarah.

Sarah, her partner and her four-year-old son live in a government flat but, when they moved in, they found that whoever left before them took the toilet and the sink with them – leaving them no choice but to use a bucket as a toilet.

The apartment had a second bathroom that was still in shell form and the kitchen consisted of a donated cooker and two chairs.

After the story was published Sarah’s partner, previously unemployed, was offered a job and is now working.

Apart from that, readers donated money that helped her get rid of some debt – mainly accumulated on unpaid groceries.

Within a month a kitchen will be installed in the bare apartment although she still needs a cooker and curtains.

“We received about 100 phone calls and e-mails from people wanting to help. Some mentioned her story was a real wake-up call as they did not realise how bad the situation might be for some people,” Fr Saviour said.

One foreigner who read Times of Malta while on an Air Malta flight donated about €800 that went towards buying a bathroom. The missing toilet and sink in the other bathroom have also been replaced.

Other donations will go towards groceries and nappies, milk and medicine for Sarah’s son, who also needs a child psychologist.

Overwhelmed by people’s kindness, Sarah took the opportunity to speak about the importance of helping young women who, like her, had to leave the residential home where they grew up when they were 16.

Social Solidarity Minister Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca recently announced that a working group will be set up to ensure these children are provided with the support, education and accommodation they need after leaving residential care.

This issue had been raised a few months ago in a report by the Children’s Commissioner, entitled Children in Out-of Home Care in Malta.

The study recommended “seriously reconsidering” the age of leaving care and spoke about the urgent need for semi-independent facilities that support children up to 21, if not longer.

Sarah welcomed the Government’s commitment to set up the unit but added that in order for this to be effective young people living in care needed support to ensure they did not get into nasty habits, such as drugs.

Many of the girls who were in her home took drugs and several got pregnant young, she recalled.

Sarah’s mother was a prostitute and she was placed in a home when still a baby. When Sarah turned 16, she was told it was time for her to leave. A nun helped her with some money to pay her first rent.

Once she was alone she faced the temptations of drugs and prostitution.

“But I didn’t give in. I was not raised that way,” she said, adding that she knew of girls who succumbed to easy money.

Sarah eventually started working as a cleaner and over the years she hopped around many apartments, sometimes being kicked out because she could not afford the rent.

A few years ago she met the father of her son, but as her child has health problems, Sarah has to look after him and cannot work.

Anyone who wishes to help the Millennium Chapel aid people like Sarah can contact Fr Saviour on 7961 7366; call the chapel on 2135 4464 or 2138 1172; or send an e-mail to info@millenniumchapel.org.

Donations can be made directly to the Millennium Chapel Foundation’s HSBC account number 0020 4652 2001.

*Name has been changed to protect the family’s identity.