The bathrooms and showers of the youngest residents at St Joseph’s Home, Sta Venera have been recently refurbished by the Vodafone Malta Foundation.
“This project has enabled the foundation to become part of a journey of solidarity with the boys residing in the home,” foundation chairman Gemma Mifsud Bonnici said.
Run by the Missionary Society of St Paul, St. Joseph’s Home caters for boys who have to live apart from their family of origin because of severe family problems.
“Leaving home for institutional care is never easy,” Ms Mifsud Bonnici. said adding: “We hope that giving the boys fresh, new private spaces will help make their environment happier, even if our contribution will not replace what they have lost in their early childhood.”
“The shift from family home to residential care invariably hurts children. Limiting the damage of such major transitions is a goal we take seriously”, said Fr Frankie Cini, Director at St Joseph’s Home. With this in mind, in the last few years, the Home has embarked on a project to make the children’s living spaces more homely and home-like.
Previously the boys used showers catering for large numbers of children.
Although they were always kept in spotless conditions, the old structures looked more like public conveniences than home bathrooms.
The change to a more domestic and friendly model means that all involved in the planning and realisation of this project had to think as if they were doing up their own home! Through its donation, the Vodafone Malta Foundation has given the boys living in one of the flats, facilities which respect their individual journeys, in spite of the difficulties they have faced in their early years of life.
On the other hand the new facilities respect the fact that the Home has particular needs which one doesn’t find in normal homes, such as the need for separate facilities in cases of contagious conditions.
Done with attention to detail, and with the age of young children taken in consideration, the result is a fresh addition to the Children’s Home. The project shows how collaboration between companies, foundations like Vodafone’s and service givers in the social field can truly create something very beautiful for the most vulnerable in Maltese society.
St Joseph's Home is a charitable organisation that relies on the generosity of individuals and corporate sponsors to continue its mission of care for youngsters in need.
Anybody interested in supporting the Home may contribute directly to the Home's bank accounts HSBC 227022730050, BOV 15800400141, APS 20000358238, or contact the Home's Director by e-mail at admin@stjoseph-home.com.