A group of 36 non-govermental organisations on Friday expressed concern at the increased number of alerts they were receiving from persons who did not have sufficient food for themselves and their families and who were about to be evicted because they were unable to pay rent.

Many, they said, had been at risk of poverty before the COVID-19 outbreak, but the number of people requiring urgent and immediate assistance was now increasing exponentially.

As people lost their jobs or had their wages cut, their ability to meet the most basic needs and those of their family members was being jeopardised.

For some, such risks would be mitigated by the government’s support packages or by relying on support provided by social services, the community, family, friends, NGOs or the church. 

Yet there were thousands of people who would not be able to receive this life-saving aid. They might not be aware of it or they could not be eligible for it. More worrying, it was becoming increasingly clear that there was not enough available aid to support Malta’s most vulnerable persons. Similar concerns were expressed by Church entities last week.
 
The NGOs noted that several impressive initiatives were being established or strengthened to provide wider community support to those facing these desperate challenges.

NGOs were, despite their limitations, stepping up to ensure that as many people as possible lived in dignity in these trying times. Yet they lacked the resources to meet the escalating demand for food and shelter.

“We rely on voluntary contributions and simply do not have the infrastructure to have a much-needed national impact.”
 
They said that while they remained committed to their mission to support human dignity, it was the government’s duty to ensure that nobody was reduced to poverty.

They asked what plans was the government putting in place to meet this national emergency. 

“No announcement of food stock-piling or distribution has been made. Little information is available explaining how existing social services and programmes are being strengthened or whether new initiatives are being established. We hope that the absence of information does not mean that no measures will be implemented for these vulnerable communities. Without support, thousands of people will be pushed into poverty and homelessness,” they said.
 
They urged the government to implement an emergency food and shelter initiative that complemented existing civil society initiatives targeting the growing number of people who were unable to provide food for themselves or for their families, and who were unable to pay rent.
 
They also appealed to the nation to reach out and support those organisations providing invaluable community support in a spirit of solidarity.