A new residential home offering rehabilitation services for ex-convicts within the community has been inaugurated in Valletta.
Speaking at the inauguration, Social Solidarity Minister Michael Falzon said the project was born out of initiatives promoting reparative justice and aimed at reducing the rate of recidivism and the number of victims of criminality.
“Projects such as these are needed to allow vulnerable people to feel more empowered and live a more independent life,” he said.
Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela said this was the first residential programme in the community open to all prisoners, not just those suffering from addiction.
He praised the work of the Rise Foundation in bringing the project to fruition and said the ministry would be donating €10,000 to the project to be used by the end of the year.
As part of a three-year Public Social Partnership with the Social Solidarity Minister, the foundation will also benefit from €180,000 to pay professional staff.