Archive for month: July, 2021

All the Dar tal-Providenza employees were awarded the ‘Onorifiċenza Mertu Siġġiewi’ durig a special ceremony organised by the Siġġiewi Local Council. President Emeritus, H.E. Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, in the presence of the Mayor, Mr Domenic Grech, presented the award to Mrs Nadine Camilleri Cassano, the Administrator of the Home, on behalf of all employees.

Prof. Charmaine Gauci, who resides in Siġġiewi, was also one of the seven personalities recipient of the Award. The others were the ex-Archpriest, Fr Joe Grech, Dr Norbert Bugeja, Mro. Raymond Sant, Mr Albert Pace and Mr Grezzju Pace (deceased).

For all the Dar tal-Providenza employees, the year 2020 was neither normal nor easy but rather a year full of great challenges brought about by the pandemic. This was really a year of great challenges but also a year that showed the big heart, the determination, the dedication, the creativity and the hard work at the Home. These were, are and will remain the Dar tal-Providenza frontliners and we are all grateful to them.

The European Parliament has announced that Dar tal-Providenza has been awarded the European Citizen’s Prize 2021. The Home was nominated by PN MEPs Roberta Metsola and David Casa, for the project entitled ‘Monument of Mercy’ – with reference to Dar tal-Providenza’s work in providing homes within the community for people with disability.
The Siġġiewi Home was declared winner of the prestigous prize after a shortlisting of the various projects submitted.
The awarding committee acknowledged that during the last 56 years, Dar tal-Providenza has always provided homes with a family-like environment for persons with disability who could not live with their family. The main thrust behind the award winning project was that of homes within the community so that persons with disability will be integrated within the communnity rather than excluded – a principle that the European Union is encouraging profusely. Currently, Dar tal-Providenza has four homes in the communities of Siġġiewi, Qawra, Birkirkara and Żurrieq and is planning to open the fifth one in Balluta in the coming weeks.
The PN MEPs Metsola and Casa said “this is excellent news. All this means that the invaluable efforts made with huge dedication by Fr Martin Micallef and his colleagues, have now been recognised at European level.”
The prize will be presented to Dar tal-Providenza during an award ceremony in November.

€512,870 were raised during Sunday’s TV Marathon in aid of Dar tal-Providenza. Because of certain restrictions still being enforced by our Health Authorities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the whole programme was produced on the same lines as those of the new year’s day ‘Festa ta’ Ġenerożità’ marathon. Once again, in order to safeguard the wellbeing and the security of the residents, the annual Volleyball Marathon had to be cancelled and nothing happened at the Home’s Siġġiewi car park except for a ‘drive-through’ where persons wanting to make a donation did so without getting out of their car.

Fr Martin Micallef, Director of Dar tal-Providenza thanked the Maltese nation for always beleiving in the Home and in what it does to see that its residents have the best quality of life possible. Funds raised during this marathon will be going towards a refurbishing project for four flats in Villa Papa Giovanni so that every resident will have a more dignified environment with private rooms and all the amenities.

The important fundraising aspect of TV Marathon including appeals, telephone and on-line donations were done at the We studios in Qormi between noon and midnight. Obviously, everything was done according to the protocols in place by the health authorities including the mandatory wearing of masks, social distancing, separation by perspex, etc.

In the morning, Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna celebrated a thanksgiving Mass on the occasion of the 25th Anniversary of the Ordination to the Priesthood of Fr Martin Micallef. The other priests were Fr Marco Portelli, Fr Charles Attard, Fr Mark Ciantar OFM and Fr Stephen Sciberras OFM. Fr Alex Cauchi, an Augustinian parish priest could not attend because of pastoral duties. The Archbishop reminded the priests of the phrase that St George Preca used to quote on anniversary occasions: “Thank you Lord God, forgive me Lord God.”

At different times of the day. TV Marathon guests in the studios included the President of Malta, Dr George Vella and Mrs. Vella, President Emeritus Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, Auxiliary Bishop Mgr. Joseph Galea-Curmi and the Leader of the Opposition and the Nationalist Party, Dr Bernard Grech and Mrs. Grech. Others present at one time or another were Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries and Members of Parliament from both sides of the House as well as political parties delegates. They also spent time answering the phones taking donations.

The televised marathon started at noon and continued till around midnight when the final sum was announced. TVM2, ONE TV, NET TV, Fliving and Smash TV took part for long stretches of the 12-hour broadcast. This included entertainment provided by top entertainers who represented Malta in past editions of the Eurovision Song Contest.

Anyone still wishing to make a donation may do so by clicking on the website www.sabihlitaghti.com where the relative details pertaining to donations may be found.