ŻAK Birkirkara has grown over the years, not just in number but also in ambition. And a massive project to restore its premises in the village core is bearing fruit.

Up until a few years ago, the Ċirklu, as the centre in Main Street, Birkirkara is lovingly referred to, had not been properly used and had been somewhat ‘abandoned’.

Its courtyard resembled a jungle, a lot of furniture spread over two floors was not being used and there was an old electricity system. The walls were full of cracks and the water was seeping through the cracks in the roof and walls, causing damage to the ceiling beams and walls.

The centre was used by Żghażagħ Azzjoni Kattolika (ŻAK), a branch of the Maltese Catholic Action, providing weekly formation meetings and activities for young people.

ŻAK comprises 11 centres, distributed around Malta. Each one consists of one or more youth groups, split according to the members’ ages.

At Birkirkara, the members of the group born in 2001 and 2002 grew in number and, therefore, another group was opened for members born in 2004 and 2005. A few years later, more members of 2001/2002 could become leaders and so, the 2006 group was opened and a year later, new members born in 2007 joined as well.

In five years, the commitment and effort of many members and leaders at this centre led to the opening of these groups.

Leader Kevin Camilleri says that the idea is also for more groups to open in the future. Many members describe this centre as their second family. The centre has always welcomed everyone, provides numerous soft skills and, above all, it provides a lot of smiles and laughter.

However, over the years, the place had become run-down and the members of the older groups took it upon themselves to kick-start a project which would see the centre restored and refurbished to its former glory, in the process making it more suitable for everyone, especially the many young people who attend the weekly meetings and various activities.

These five years have seen the centre swarming with activity over the weekends and during the recent pandemic.

Works have included the removal of a concrete stage which was no longer safe from the courtyard; the installation of a two-storey wooden cross in the courtyard; the installation of a new kitchen; new membrane on the roof; a new electrical system; the clearing and cleaning of the indoor area; and plastering and painting of the entire upper floor, which is currently being completed.

Camilleri said that the “work could only be carried out thanks to the many benefactors and sponsors, fundraising activities held over the years, financial support from the Maltese Catholic Action and, above all, the continuous work of the many young people in this centre”.

Recently, the members of the group also received the good news that the application for the installation of 12 solar panels has been approved. This system will be installed free of charge through the scheme for voluntary organisations which was launched last year by the Ministry of Energy.

The ŻAK members are now also planning more projects which include restoring the facade and balcony, the refurbishment of the toilets and more work on the ground level.

ŻAK Birkirkara has always appreciated all the assistance it has received.

“Today, more than ever, financial help is needed to continue the work at the centre, because due to the pandemic, the fundraising activities planned were cancelled. Meanwhile, the youth work continued with the leaders reaching out to their members by taking their meetings online. We only opened our doors to membes recently, when restrictions were lifted.”

Anyone wanting to help financially can e-mail birkirkara@zakmalta.org.

Members have their say

“I am 18 years old. I have been active at ŻAK for the past three years. At ŻAK Birkirkara I met new friends and I learnt about the different aspects of daily life. We discuss different religious themes, situations in our teen life, different ways to stay positive, challenges at the place of work and other various topics. ŻAK is a great place to develop your character and help you throughout life in almost every way.

“I attended a few courses on leadership skills with ŻAK Malta and apart from being a member in ŻAK Birkirkara and being a part of Birkirkara’s community, I have been a leader at ŻAK Ibraġ for the past two years and am now part of another community in Ibraġ. I try to promote the ŻAK community as much as possible as it is like a second home for me. I found care and support.”

Sarah Ebejer

“I have been a member of ŻAK Birkirkara for the past four-and-a-half years. During my time at ŻAK I have grown as a person both spiritually, in my relationship with God, as well as my relationship with myself and those around me. Becoming a leader almost three years ago helped me mature and become more responsible due to the fact that I had to pass on the knowledge garnered from my leaders to my current members. Furthermore, being a part of ŻAK has provided me with important skills that help me throughout my daily life.”

Maria Felice

“A couple of months ago we took the role as coordinators of ŻAK Birkirkara. Throughout our experience as members and leaders, we have seen the organisation grow and have found a second family here. The skills we obtained were constantly being challenged and this helped us grow holistically.

“In the past couple of months, we were renovating our youth centre for the members to be able to enjoy themselves and have fun while having activities there. Our group grew from 14 members (2015) to 85 members (2020).  Our role as coordinators is quite challenging but full of satisfaction. We are pleased to say that this role gives meaning to our journey within the organisation. Our aim is to make everyone feel at home and as comfortable as possible and we wish to see a continuation in the growth of our centre for many more years.”

Ylenia Cristiano Mifsud and Thomas Galea

“I have been a ŻAK member for over two years now and I have enjoyed every second I spent at ŻAK. Every week I’m eager to go to our weekly Wednesday meeting as a ŻAK member of 2004-2005. At first, our meetings used to be held among a small group of teens but over the years many teens joined and thanks to that, I have made a lot of new friends. I also made a lot of new friends from different localities, especially from our Kamp Sajf or our yearly parties.

“ŻAK has helped me be become less shy and start being more confident, especially when we give our personal opinions at a meeting. I also learned a lot of new basic life skills such as cleaning and cooking, particularly during our live-ins which made me more responsible. At ŻAK I feel safe and happy since we are one big family.”

Amy Zammit