Dar tal-Providenza of Siġġiewi is appealing for financial support as the COVID-19 outbreak has dealt a major blow to its coffers with all fund raising activities having to stop due to the ban on mass events.

Unfortunately, there is even more bad news as the director of this home, Fr Martin Micallef, was recently forced to take a break from his duties till the end of the year to receive treatment for cancer.

Fr Martin Micallef

The announcement was made at a news conference held at this home for persons with special needs which hosts around 115 residents.

Dar tal-Providenza board member Jesmond Saliba said that this institution needs around €5 million a year to keep going, the bulk of which come from donations and fundraising events.

He noted that a significant chunk of these funds is normally raised in a volleyball marathon which was due to be held next weekend but had to be called off due to the pandemic. Its cancellation means that the home will have a hole in its coffers to the tune of €750,000 which was the sum that is normally raised during this marathon.

On the other hand, expenses have soared by around €60,000 due to the pandemic. These costs were incurred to buy smartphones for the residents in order to be able to communicate with their relatives, who have not been allowed to visit the home since March. The visitors’ ban is still in force as the residents are considered as being very vulnerable persons.

Other expenses incurred were to buy protective equipment for the staff, train nurses and provide transport to workers having no car so as to avoid using the bus service.

Visibly emotional, Saliba also announced that apart from these financial challenges, Dar tal-Providenza had been dealt another blow as its director Martin Micallef had been recently diagnosed with cancer. The 52-year-old has been at the helm of this home since 2008 when he had succeeded Mgr Lawrence Gatt. Consequently, Fr Micallef will have to take a six-month break to receive treatment.

“In these circumstances, the best gift we can give him is to make our utmost to overcome the financial challenges by the time he will be resuming his duties,” Saliba said.

He noted that anyone wishing to give support can do so by visiting a dedicated website on www.sabihlitaghti.org.

The event was also addressed by Public Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci who heaped praise on the measures taken by Dar tal-Providenza to prevent the virus from spreading.

She warned that even though the number of new cases were in decline, the virus was still present.

“It would be a mistake letting our guard down at this point in time and existing measures such as social distancing, wearing masks, using sanitizers and avoiding large crowds should remain in place,” she said.

Prof. Gauci urged the public to show their solidarity with this home.

“These residents are our brothers and sisters and we have a duty to support them,” she remarked.