When Bettina Pace read how migrants were having to sleep outside because of a lack of electric fans in last month’s heatwave, she decided to do something about it.

The 26-year-old and her friends posted an appeal on Instagram to ask for donations to help give some respite to the people living at Ħal Far’s open centre.

Soon, they raised €700 to buy 23 new fans and they also collected five second-hand fans from friends and family.

“The news upset me and my friends, so we decided to work together and post an appeal on social media,” she said.

Last month, Malta recorded record-breaking temperatures during a 12-day heatwave that was one of the most prolonged in living memory.

Times of Malta reported that migrants living in accommodation similar to shipping containers did not have electric fans to keep themselves cool.

It’s good to see that there are people who care

“The response has been really encouraging and I have collected a few second-hand fans from friends and family members too, which is great as I truly believe in re-using these ventilators which are just sitting around in people’s houses,” Pace said.

Along with her friend Laura Paris, she contacted the Agency for Welfare of Asylum Seekers to find out if they could donate fans to the open centre.

Whilst Paris lives in the UK, Pace decided to handle the collection of fans and donations.

“AWAS were very helpful and gave us the go-ahead that we could donate fans, with the condition that new fans are wall-mounted,” she said.

So she then loaded her car to the brim with fans and dropped them off at the centre.

“We think it’s good for the public to see there are people here in Malta who care about migrant rights and are willing to take action where they can help,” she said.

“And, also, that migrants feel like their complaints are being heard and seen.”