Category: News

Fondazzjoni Suret il-Bniedem tiċċelebra ħamsa u għoxrin sena ta servizzi residenzjali lil nies bla dar.

F’Ottubru li għadda, il- Fondazzjoni Suret il-Bniedem iċċelebrat ħamsa u għoxrin sena minn mindu ġiet imwaqfa mill-aħwa Kapuċċini fis-sena 1999 sabiex tiprovdi servizzi residenzjali lil individwi bla dar, igwidata mill-valuri Kapuċċini tal- kompassjoni, dinjita’ u servizz lil nies marġinati u ispiratha mit- tagħlim ta’ San Franġisk ta’ Assisi.

Il-missjoni ta’ Fondazzjoni Suret il-Bniedem tmur lil hinn minn li toKri saqaf lil dawn il-persuni bla dar. Il-Fondazzjoni tfittex li tizgħra dinjita’, tama u mħabba billi tiKaċilita trejqiet individwali ġodda sabiex iseħħu il- bidliet neċessarji ġodda biex dawn in-nies jimxu il-quddiem. Il-ħidma tagħna tipermetti lil dawn l-individwi biex jerġgħu jemnu fijhom infushom, jibnu ħajjithom u jsiebu posthom fis-soċjeta. Matul dawn is-snin, il-Fondazzjoni għenet aktar minn elfejn persuna. Biss biss matul l-aħħar sena irċeviet madwar 281 talba għal- għajnuna.

Li persuna tispicca bla dar m’hijiex sempliċi problema ta’ ‘housing’ imma hija is-sitwazzjoni aħħarija li normalment tkun kumplessa u li il-kawża tagħha normalment tkun ġejja minn diversi aspetti bħal diKikultajiet finanzjarji, sitwazzjonijiet familjari kumplessi u problematici, l-użu tas-sustanzi jew mard, inkluż sfidi ta’ saħħa mentali. Is-saħħa mentali tal-persuna ħafna drabi tigi impattata meta persuna issib ruħha bla dar pero is-saħħa mentali tista tkun ir- raġuni primarja li persuna ma tkunx tista’ tghix indipendenti.

Dawn is-sitwazzjonijiet jirikjedu soluzzjonijiet ħolistiċi u fit-tul. Kif naslu għal dawn is-soluzjonijiet? Permezz ta’ grupp ta’ professjonisti multi-dixxiplinarji u iddedikati niprovdu kura wiesgħa li tinkludi aspetti mediċi inkluż dawk mentali, emozjonali u soċjali b’mod individwali u komunitarju u pass pass nimxu il-mixja mar-resident skond il-bżonijiet tiegħu jew tagħha.

*Mary mara ta’ ħamsa u tletien sena spiċċat bla dar u daħlet Tereża Spinelli flimkien mat-tifel tagħha ta’ ħames snin. Mary għaddiet minn snin ta’ vjolenza domestika li ħalliet impatt fuq is-saħħa mentali tagħha. Kellha wkoll diKikultajiet biex tikkontrolla l-imġieba tat-tifel tagħha li kien ukoll qegħed ibati minn diKikultajiet emozjonali. Minħabba dan kellha diKikulta biex iżomm ix- xoghol. Waqt iż-żmien tagħha magħna ġewwa Tereża Spinelli għenijha sabiex tirkupra is-saħħa mentali tagħha filwaqt li it-tifel beda jingħata għajnunha professjonali permezz ta’ ‘play therapist’ u b’hekk Mary bdiet tirkupra pass pass, hadmet biex sabet xogħol u issa qed taħdem fuq pjan finanzjarju sabiex tgħix indipendenti.

Ma’ *Mark li wasal magħna ġewwa Dar Victoria wara snin ġewwa l-isptar Monte Carmeli minħabba dipendenza fuq l-alkoħol li impattatlu l- indipendenza tiegħu u ir-relazzjonijiet familjari tieghu, ħdimna miegħu biex jerġgħa jibni il-ħiliet bażiċi ta’ kuljum waqt li kien ukoll qegħed jaħdem fuq il- problema ta’ l-alkoħol. Waqt li kien qiegħed jghix magħna kemm il-darba kien se jaqtgħa qalbu imma it- ‘team’ baqgħa jemmen fih u jimbuttah sabiex ikompli jaħdem fuqu nnifsu, ħallas id-djun li kellhu u sar aktar kunfidenti. Illum il-ġurnata qegħed jerġa jibni ir-relazzjoni tiegħu mal-familjari tiegħu biex eventwalment ikun jistgħa jerġa’ jingħaqad mal-familja.

Illum il-ġurnata il-Fondazzjoni għandha ħames t’idjar –

Dar Leopoldo li takkomoda irġiel bla dar u Dar Tereża Spinelli li takkomoda niesa bit-tfal li jsibu ruħhom bla dar. Dar Victoria li tilqa fijha irġiel li jkunu għamlu żmien twil ġewwa l-isptar Monte Carmeli minħabba sfidi ta’ saħħa mentali u li jkunu jirekjedu sapport fit-tul, Dar Franġisk li hija akkomodazjoni għall- irġiel ikar indipendenti u li ħafna drabi jimxu minn Dar Victoria u Dar Imelda u Paul Debono li hija residenza fil-komunita’ għal niesa bi sfidi ta’ saħħa mentali li ma jkunux għadhom b’saħħithom biex jgħixu b’mod indipendenti.

F’kull ħin, id-djar jakkomodaw madwar sebgħin resident. Dan jirrikjedi spejjeż kbar. Matul is-sena 2023, in-nefqa fuq dawn is-servizzi ammontat għal 1.25 Miljun Ewro. Kull għajnuna finanzjarja hija ferm apprezata. Għall-aktar informazzjoni dwar il-Fondazzjoni jew kif tistgħa tgħin biex inkomplu inħallu impatt fuq l-iktar nies vulnerabli tista’ żżur www.suretilbniedem.com

*Dawn l-ismijiet huma fittizji u ma jiriflettux l-ismijiet veri ta’ dawn il-persuni.

Sarah Bondin – General Manager.

Celebrating 25 years of hope.

Fondazzjoni Suret il-Bniedem marks a quarter century of providing residential support to the homeless.

Today, Fondazzjoni Suret il-Bniedem, which was founded by the Capuchins in 1999, proudly celebrates its 25th year of providing residential services to individuals experiencing homelessness, as guided by the Capuchins’ core values of compassion, dignity and service to the marginalised.

Inspired by the teachings of St. Francis of Assisi and the Capuchin commitment to serving those most in need, Fondazzjoni Suret il-Bniedem was established to oIer more than just shelter. The organisation’s mission is to restore dignity and hope to the homeless and this is done not only by oIering safe accommodation but by also facilitating individualised pathways that allow individuals to rebuild their lives.

For the past 25 years we have striven to not only provide a roof over people’s heads but to empower individuals to rediscover their worth and reclaim their place in society. Along these years Fondazzjoni Suret il-Bniedem has supported over 2,000 individuals and during last year it received 281 referrals.

We know that homelessness is not just a housing issue, but a complex challenge that requires holistic long-term solutions. How do we accomplish this? We do it one step at a time, through a very dedicated team of professionals who provide individualised and comprehensive care covering medical, health and mental-health, emotional and social needs.

Homelessness is not about people sleeping in carton boxes outside. It is a complex and challenging situation which stems from diIerent causes including financial issues, family disruptions, illness, mental health challenges. A person’s mental health may be directly impacted due to homelessness, or it may be the prime reason why the person may not be able to live independently.

Mark* had a long history of substance abuse, which led to impulsive, risk- taking behaviours and a prolonged stay at the national hospital for mental health recovery. His parents were deeply worried about him, but after significant improvement, his medical team decided he was ready to regain independence and reintegrate into the community.

At Dar Victoria, we welcomed Mark and worked with him to create a personalized care plan. His family provided strong support throughout, and we helped strengthen these ties, which played a key role in his progress.

Today, Mark functions well in society, independently managing tasks such as laundry, maintaining his living space, and attending appointments. His family is overjoyed with the remarkable transformation in his mental health and overall well-being.

Mark’s next goal is to fulfil his dream of volunteering at an animal shelter, where he hopes to give back by helping animals in need.

*Mary in her thirties and her 5-year-old son came to us after becoming homeless. The mother had endured significant mental health issues and past domestic violence, which took a toll on both her and her child. Finding a job was incredibly diIicult for her, as was managing her time, taking care of her son, attending appointments, even getting out of bed each day. We provided extensive support, helping her with mental health care, navigating the challenges of employment, prioritizing her responsibilities, and developing her parenting skills, with the help of other professionals.

We also addressed her son’s mental health needs, ensuring he received the support necessary to manage his learning disability. With our collective eIorts, she was able to settle down in a job, save money, and eventually rent with her friend.

Her journey highlights the resilience required to overcome adversity and the transformative impact of a supportive community.

To run 5 residential facilities in 2023 only, the Foundation required close to 1.25 million Euros, and this would not have been possible without the financial support from the Ministry for Social Policy, Ministry for Health and other donors.

“We hope to continue consolidating and improving on the services we have by constantly evaluating what we do and seek to continuously improve on what we have. We also hope to provide a voice to the marginalised people that we serve by being at the forefront to advocate on their behalf. We also hope to strengthen our relationships with our stakeholders including the Ministry for Social Policy and the Ministry for Health, business organisations and others to be able to provide further comprehensive care and support to more individuals and be able to remain responsive and adapt to changing societal needs”, says Sarah Bondin, General Manager of the Foundation.

“Celebrating 25 years of Fondazzjoni Suret il-Bniedem is a profound moment for all of us. Over the past two and a half decades, we have offered countless vulnerable individuals a sense of belonging, dignity, and the opportunity for a new beginning. Our mission remains steadfast — to ensure that no one, in our country, is left without a home or hope.

The smiles and progress of each of our residents inspire me with hope and constantly renew my faith in humanity, giving me the strength to continue the outstanding work that Suret il-Bniedem has accomplished so far and to

continue working towards a future where everyone has a safe place to call home”, says Dr Marique Sciberras Chairperson of the Foundation.

Fondazzjoni Suret il-Bniedem is a registered voluntary organisation of the Province of the Capuchins, Malta which was founded in 1999 to provide services to homeless individuals. It currently runs Dar Leopoldo and Dar Teresa Spinelli a residential service for homeless men and women with children respectively. It also runs Dar Victoria, Dar Frangisk and Dar Imelda and Paul Debono. Dar Victoria and Dar Imelda and Paul Debono are community-based facilities with staJ round the clock that assist men and women, who due to mental health challenges end up homeless. Dar Frangisk is a semi-independent home for males with mental health challenges.

A group of five residents together with two members of our staff Leona and Neyra; and our Vice Chairperson Fr. Elmar Pace were off on an unforgettable yearly trip! This year, the group explored the breathtaking beauty of Assisi and the historical wonders of Rome. From the peaceful landscapes of St. Francis’ hometown to the magnificent sights of the Vatican and ancient Roman ruins, every moment was filled with joy, learning, and connection.

Grateful for the memories, the laughter, and the friendships built along the way. This is an experience of learning, growth and connectedness with oneself and one another.