A charity foundation is asking people not to buy random presents for vulnerable children this Christmas but to donate money so that the mothers can buy the gift instead – perhaps one wished for from Santa.

Donors would not only make a child’s wish come true but also empower women who cannot afford to buy gifts because they can barely keep up with the cost of rent, bills and food, Women for Women Foundation says.

One of these women, Roseanne*, has three young children. The youngest, a few months old, suffers from asthma and needs constant care and treatment, making it impossible for the mother to hold a stable job.

A survivor of domestic violence, Roseanne was left in financial ruin and has resorted to washing clothes by hand and dishes in a basin.

Elaine Compagno told Times of Malta that the foundation stepped in to support her after receiving a referral from her social worker.

The project manager explained that when she visited Roseanne she was shocked she had “absolutely nothing” and often slept hungry to make sure her children were fed. 

“She dreams of the day she will be able to give her children everything they need and is heart-broken that year after year she is unable to give her children personalised gifts like other parents do,” she said.

The foundation will be collecting donations to buy vouchers from toy shops to give to the women. This will enable them to pick the right gift for their child, wrap it up themselves and give it to their child on Christmas Day.

But the empowerment will not stop at Christmas.

Women for Women is training volunteers to mentor vulnerable people like Roseanne and Laura*, another woman who will benefit from the Child’s Christmas Wish initiative.

Laura has been struggling to secure a job for some five years while caring for a child with severe autism.

Despite being very willing to earn a living, it is next to impossible for her – she often has to pick her child up from school due to illness.

Her mentor, paired by the foundation through a separate project called Elle-Evate, will be accompanying her to a toy shop, as she does not have her own means of transport, to pick a personalised gift for her child.

But the mentor will also be providing Laura with career guidance as she is looking into expanding her skills and studying online while her child is at school.

Compagno said the project came about after the foundation received calls for support from women who were either sliding into poverty, homeless, faced mental health challenges, or had just become mothers and suffered a sudden accident or loss that left them in crisis.

The project is funded by the Small Initiatives Support Scheme, which is managed by the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector. It enables the foundation to train volunteers to provide support tailored to particular traumas and help vulnerable people improve their skills, household budgeting and planning for life goals.

The volunteers would also make appeals for donations and guide their mentees to other agencies for support with other challenges.

Look up Women for Women Foundation – Malta on Facebook, call 9900 4440 or email info@womenforwomen.foundation for more information.

* Names have been changed