The Lisa Maria Foundation was set up to help clear out the apparent flaws in the education system and was not a campaign against any institution, one of its founders, Winston Zahra, said yesterday.

Set up in memory of Lisa Maria Zahra, who was found at the bottom of Dingli Cliffs on March 19 shortly after her family reported her missing, the foundation inaugurated yesterday intends to protect children and young people.

The 15-year-old died at the scene while her 23-year-old teacher, Erin Tanti, was injured. He has been charged in court with her murder and assisting her to commit suicide.

“It is an emotional day for us as a family. We had a choice – to either slip into a negative spiral or come up with something positive,” Mr Zahra, Lisa Maria’s cousin, said.

Education Minister Evarist Bartolo said the foundation set an example: “There is a lot of work to do, especially because social media has changed life irrevocably.”

Those of us who touch teenagers’ lives in any way have a huge responsibility in helping them find or destroy themselves

Adolescence was a time when teenagers built their own identity and it was difficult to engage with them as they tended to rebel.

“Those of us who touch teenagers’ lives in any way have a huge responsibility in helping them find or destroy themselves,” he added, insisting different entities had to work together.

Giving an overview of the foundation, Mr Zahra noted that the non-profit organisation was set up to support, not hinder, institutions that had a duty to care for children and young people.

Its objectives include promoting effective recruitment and selection procedures for anyone entrusted with the care of children.

Institutions felt they needed this support (resources and expertise) within this area, he added.

“Everyone sends their children to school or a sports club with the peace of mind that it’s a safe place, and we need to maintain this peace of mind,” Mr Zahra said, noting that the foundation was already carrying out research on best practices abroad.

Speaking to this newspaper, he said: “Clearly in the selection process of educators there are certain flaws in the due diligence process. The foundation will be working with the Education Ministry, the teacher’s union and other bodies to ensure these flaws are ironed out.”

The foundation also wants to promote a code of behaviour that defines the appropriate boundaries between educators and children or young people.

Mr Zahra said there had been an erosion of these boundaries and the foundation wanted to ensure they were restored in order to protect students and the teachers themselves.

“What are the consequences when you cross the boundary? If there are no consequences it is more tempting to cross the boundaries,” he said.

Referring to the third objective – the safe use of social media – Mr Zahra said younger people were more at ease with using new technology.

“We do not want to demonise the media or the online world but there are all sorts of pitfalls out there which can easily draw in adults, let alone kids.

“And these potential dangers are continuously changing,” said father of three Mr Zahra.

The foundation will be reaching out to as many people as possible and become a community, rather than remaining a one-family effort.

Founded by Lisa Maria’s father Tony and Mr Zahra, the foundation’s board of administrators includes Mary Anne Lauri, pro-rector at the University of Malta, while its CEO is Tonio Pace, who has worked in the educational sector for the past 20 years.

More information can be found on lisamaria-foundation .org or by calling 7946 9632.

A financial contribution can be made to BOV account IBAN number MT42VALL2201 3000000040022689883, Swift Code: VALLMTMT