Tucked away in the President’s Kitchen Garden in Attard lies a special place that, through love, support and compassion, has impacted the lives of over 70 children and families disrupted by serious illness or loss of a family member.
This is the only place in Malta that provides such an important service. And it all started thanks to one man − Karl Vella.
Karl left an indelible impact on the lives of all those he crossed paths with. As a nursing aide in a paediatric ward, he was devoted to helping sick children and making their stay in hospital as pleasant as possible.
When diagnosed with cancer at the age of 32, he used his positivity to help and support others who were ill too, often visiting and calling sick people in hospital, or chatting with others through social media during his housebound days, inspiring them with his words of wisdom and encouragement. He also took joy in supporting foundations such as Puttinu Cares, L-istrina, Hospice Malta and Id-Dar tal-Providenza.
When Karl lost his battle with cancer at the age of 37, a close family friend, Claire Chircop, wished to create something positive out of his death.
After months of researching and brainstorming together with Karl’s wife, Rosemary Ann, it became apparent that Malta lacked any support for children whose sibling or parent is taken seriously ill.
According to one study, parents with a chronic medical condition compose between four and 12 per cent of the world’s population. So just like Karl, thousands of other adults − and even children − suffer from grievous illness in Malta.
During his illness, Karl had always been concerned about the well-being of his two children. All too often, in situations like his, the focus in the family shifts completely to the person who is sick. This is only natural. The other members of the family mould to the situation, and families cope as best they can in the prevailing circumstances.
Despite the best efforts to ensure that the children are looked after, illness or loss within the family can be traumatic to them and often have a detrimental effect on their psychological and physical well-being. This could also affect their performance at school, as well as lead to feelings of loneliness, guilt, anxiety, anger or depression.
In 2014, the Karl Vella Foundation (KVF) was set up to offer professional care and guidance to children in families disrupted by serious illness or loss. The foundation has since grown and developed, and currently supports over 40 children between the ages of five and 17. With a team of over 20 employees and mental health professionals, together with a good number of volunteers, the Karl Vella Foundation offers a warm and welcoming environment where children can express themselves freely, receive professional support and feel part of a supportive and caring community.
A tailor-made care plan is created for each and every child according to their age and needs
A tailor-made care plan is created for each and every child according to their age and needs. This consists of either one-to-one counselling sessions with psychologists or group activities with other children, or usually a mix of both.
In addition to the psychological support, one of the main goals of the KVF is to provide educational services in the form of assistance with homework or extra help. With several qualified volunteers, the foundation ensures all the children receive as much attention as needed so as not to fall behind their peers.
But their support does not stop there. From games to meditation, arts and craft to organised sports, the variety of activities held at the foundation promotes the children’s psychological, spiritual and physical well-being.
The positive impact that the foundation’s services has had on the children is inspiring – from noticing complete changes in a child’s temperament and behaviour, to receiving calls from headmasters to say that the children’s grades have improved.
The comprehensive service, the KVF provides even includes transportation to and from the children’s homes, as well as the chance for the parents to participate in one-to-one and group therapy sessions with a psychologist.
Although the KVF’s centre is temporarily closed due to the current COVID-19 situation, they have continued to support the children through online services. The psycho-educational activities, one-to-one therapy and group therapy sessions are all now being conducted via the Zoom app until the centre can reopen.
Over the years, the foundation has managed to sustain itself through donations from individuals and funding from different entities. In 2019, the Karl Vella Foundation participated in the Malta Social Impact Awards (MSIA), which provides funding and non-financial support to initiatives that have a positive social impact on Malta. As part of MSIA, the foundation received mentoring to help develop their initiative before pitching to an audience and a panel of judges at the final MSIA event.
Chosen as one of two MSIA winners that year, the KVF was awarded €20,000 in funding, in addition to non-financial support from Firstbridge and TAKEOFF. The KVF also stole the heart of the audience that evening, walking away with a further €13,500 through the Audience Award.
With this funding, the foundation has been able to develop the support they provide even further by hiring a professional psycho-educator to identify better the children’s needs and create care plans accordingly. A chef was also brought on board not only to provide the children with nutritious and healthy food, but also to give them the chance to enjoy the social and psychological benefits of eating a meal altogether.
“We are honoured, proud and humbled to be one of the winners of the Malta Social Impact Award 2019 and the Audience Award, which have enabled us to improve the quality of our services to families in need,” Claire Chircop, co-founder and chairperson of The Karl Vella Foundation.
The Malta Social Impact Awards are now calling on other organisations and social initiatives that need funding to apply for this year’s event before applications close on May 5. Examples of social areas the initiatives can target include the relief of poverty and suffering, the advancement of health, education or culture, the empowerment of marginalised communities and minorities, or the protection of the environment and animals, to name a few.
For more information or to download an application form, visit www.siamalta.org or contact the team on info@siamalta.org. For more information on the Karl Vella Foundation, or how you can get involved, visit www.karlvellafoundation.org.