A young man of Ghanaian descent is turning to his ‘Maltese siblings’ for help, 13 years after he was paralysed in St Julian’s.

“I am Maltese,” is one of the first things he says proudly after sitting down on a sofa in the small Gżira apartment the Muslim community is helping him rent for a few weeks.

Sali Idris Hany was born in Malta in 1984 to Ghanaian parents Idris and Enayat. They were en route to Libya when his mother gave birth while they were in Malta.

Having been born here, Mr Hany was granted Maltese citizenship and after the family moved to Cairo he returned to Malta as a tourist. However, when he turned 17 he decided to come back as a student.

He left the Egyptian capital on July 5, 2001, to pursue IT studies here but two weeks later he had a bad fall in St Julian’s, which left him partially paralysed and for some time even unable to speak.

He was with two students, a French and a German, when he fell into a two-metre-deep hole, suffering head injuries. The right side of his body was paralysed as a result.

What happened exactly is unclear to Mr Hany: “I was out with a couple of people staying at the same hostel I was in. We ended up arguing because, if I recall well, they needed some money. As I headed back from the seafront, I fell down a hole, and that is all I remember.”

His parents left their two daughters in Cairo and travelled to Malta to be next to their son, who was in critical condition. They made an appeal for financial assistance so he could move back to Egypt with them, where his father worked as director of public relations at the Comoros Embassy.

In Egypt, he continued his therapy and studies and, although having difficulty moving his right arm and leg, he gradually regained his ability to speak, with his father funding the treatment.

Unfortunately, his father passed away three years ago and this spelled financial problems for Mr Hany. Unable to work and with nowhere to turn to because his mother could not support him, he packed his bags and headed for Malta last month.

Once here he did not know where to start but was lucky enough to bump into Mahmood Alatiyat, who was touched by his story and put him up in a hotel for a few days.

He also helped him file the necessary paperwork with the social security and health authorities and, together with the Muslim community in Malta, he is also funding him to stay in an apartment.

Just like 13 years ago, Mr Hany is again appealing for Maltese solidarity and generosity, saying he requires urgent treatment, which, if discontinued, could cause his condition to worsen.

“I am a Maltese citizen and I am turning to my Maltese siblings for support,” he said.

Asked whether he planned to contribute to Maltese society in any way, despite his disability, he exclaimed: “Of course, why not? I am willing to work, if possible, and contribute.”

Mr Hany can be contacted either through the Muslim community in Malta or via Mr Alatiyat at alatiyatmahmood@yahoo.com.

Imam Mohamed El Sadi told this newspaper Mr Hany deserved support because he had no financial means to sustain himself.

While the community was putting him up in an apartment, public help was most welcome as resources were limited.

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