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On Thursday,12th September 2024, Id-Dar tal-Providenza celebrates its 59th anniversary. 59 years ago, Dun Mikiel Azzopardi, with Lm100 in hand donated by a lady who had saved them for her vacation, embarked on id-Dar tal-Providenza, the first home in Malta that started offering residential services to persons with disability. Ever since, id-Dar tal-Providenza has been a living miracle of Divine Providence.

Today, 59 years later, Id-Dar tal-Providenza with the support of the Maltese and Gozitans alike, with the help of many volunteers together with financial support, aside from the Siġġiewi complex runs four other community homes in Siġġiewi itself, Birkirkara, Qawra and Żurrieq. These homes host around 115 persons with disability endowed with respect, their rights and their dignity.

Looking back towards the early years of the 60’s we cannot forget the worrying and troubling thoughts Dun Mikiel had surrounding the  state of persons with disability who in his own words were hidden and sidelined. He had found out that various persons with disablity were living in a deplorable and  inhuman state, hidden in cellars, where at times even their siblings were not even aware of them.

This was when the idea crept up that Dun Mikiel finds a place where persons with disability could live in a decent environment – an environment that they deserve and that fully respects their dignity. Many were those who told him that such a project would need a lot of funds. But Dun Mikiel sincerely believed that Divine Providence had no limits, as without limits are the values of justice and solidarity,

The 12th of September is a day during which we thank God who gave us Dun Mikiel who in turn gave birth and nursed to fruitition id-Dar tal-Providenza, which as the late Archbishop Ġużeppi Mercieca used to say, is the home of all of us.

 

 

Archbisop Emeritus, Mgr Paul Cremona O.P. took part in the annual pilgrimage to Lourdes organized by the Assoċjazzjoni Volontarji Lourdes. This year this pilgrimage, that took place between Thursday 29th August and Sunday September 2024, was attended by 175 pilgrims from Malta and Gozo.

He concelebrated in a mass that took place at the Grotto of Massabielle. It was led by  Fr Martin Micallef, Episcopal Vicar for Diaconi and Director of Id-Dar tal-Providenza and assisted by Fr Dijonisju Mintoff OFM, Director of the Laboratory for Peace, Fr Josè Debono OCD, Provincial of the Teresians and Fr Mario Sant OFM Conv. One of the friars that works with the sick in London.

On Sunday 1st September, Archbishop Cremona also concelebrated during the international mass that is celebrated in the Sanctuary of Notre Dame de Lourdes  that was led by Cardinal Enrico Feroci. He also took part in the  procession with the Blessed Sacrament that took place Friday 31st August and also in one of the Aux Flambeaux processions that take place every evening in the main square in front of the Lourdes Sanctuary.

 

A record €6,700 was raised during an annual summer barbecue in aid of Id‑Dar tal‑Providenza organised by Pierre Vella Petroni and Anne Marie Xuereb for  more than a decade.

During the event, Fr Martin Micallef, Director of the Home, thanked the organisers, helpers, sponsors and the more than 100 friends and relatives who attended the fundraising activity and donated towards this noble cause.

The sum collected will help the Home that offers care to persons with disability and requires €13,000 a day to cover running  costs.

The main sponsors for the event were Prime Ltd., C. Camilleri & Sons, Ron Axisa, Welbees Naxxar, The General Soft Drinks Co. Ltd., Farsons Direct, Heir & Loom, Bristow Potteries, VCT Lighting, Provita, Rausi & Co. and Gordon Portelli of Pitkali Malta.

The event would not have been possible without the invaluable help of family and friends who helped with the logistics and the cooking.

The BOV Volleyball Marathon ended at midnight Sunday but not before raising the sum of €466,688.

Forty players went through fifty-three hours of volleyball in searing hot weather. It officially started at six in the evening on Friday in the presence of the President of Malta, Dr Myriam Spiteri Debono and continued non-stop since then.

Fr Martin Micallef, Director of Id-Dar tal-Providenza, thanked the people of Malta and Gozo, that once again responded with so much generosity to the call for fundraising for the Home through the Volleyball Marathon. He also thanked the players, the volunteers, members of the organising committee, all the sponsors, the main TV stations that relayed the marathon, singers and bands, the members of the police force and all those that in one way or another helped towards the success of this Marathon.

Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna celebrated mass at the Home’s chapel assisted by Fr Martin and emphasised on solidarity with Dar tal-Providenza during the fundraising BOV Volleyball Marathon. Archbishop Scicluna thanked God that Id-Dar tal-Providenza always had good leaders who had a great sense of caring leadership. He urged that leaders in all strata of society and the Church are also good leaders for the good of our community.

Mgr. Scicluna also had the opportunity to meet up with the players taking part in the marathon as well as the volunteers who were helping out throughout the 3 days of the marathon.

Besides the forty players that were the main protagonists of the Marathon, there were around two hundred volunteers. Every evening there was musical entertainment on the main stage, food and drinks and children’s games. The marathon was relayed live on the main local TV stations whilst Vibe Fm was the official radio station.

Photo: Bernard Cachia

On Friday 19 July 2024, H.E. Dr Myriam Spiteri Debono, officially inaugurated the 14th edition of the BOV Volleyball Marathon in aid of Id-Dar tal-Providenza.

Forty players, selected from a total of seventy applicants, started the challenge of fifty-three hours of non-stop volleyball not for a noble cause.

In his welcome speech, Fr Martin Micallef while greeting the President of Malta, on her first visit to Dar tal-Providenza, said that the commitment of the players and volunteers sends a positive message to Maltese society that it is rewarding to give.  He added that it is wonderful to see young people filled with a great sense of generosity and altruism, who are ready to commit themselves in favour of initiatives in favour of people who need some kind of support, solidarity, or help. He reminded that Dar tal-Providenza, which this year is on the threshold of its 60th anniversary, needs a lot of funds to continue offering the residential services it offers to people with disabilities. “The help that the Maltese and Gozitan people will be giving through this marathon will continue to fill us with the courage to continue this work in the years to come.”

In her brief address at the opening of the marathon, the President of Malta H.E. Myriam Spiteri Debono mentioned that “by opening the Dar tal-Providenza nearly sixty years ago, Mgr Mikiel Azzopardi filled a significant gap, that existed at the time, in society by providing care and support for people with disabilities and their families.”

She said that this started to raise public awareness about the importance of providing the necessary help to these people so that they have an opportunity to reach their full potential. Above all, so that they avoid unnecessary suffering.

President Myriam Spiteri Debono explained that the costs are substantial and constantly increasing and appealed to the generosity of the people of Malta and Gozo.

Present for the inauguration ceremony were the Hon. Julia Farrugia Portelli, Minister for  Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector, the Hon. Keith Azzopardi Tanti, Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Research and Innovation, the Hon. David Agius, Deputy Speaker and Shadow Minister for Sports, the Hon. Graziella Galea, spokeswoman of the Opposition for the Inclusion of the Voluntary sector, Mr Kenneth Farrugia, the CEO of the Bank of Valletta the main sponsor of the marathon, and Siġġiewi Mayor Julian Borg.

In the evening during the three days of the marathon there will be live music on the main stage. On Friday evening from 9:00 pm to midnight, the band Zone 5 will be invited, on Saturday the band Kantera and on Sunday the Spiteri Lucas Band.

The marathon will be broadcast on the local TV channels.

The public can help by calling the numbers below, using BOV Mobile Banking or PayPal and Revolut or donating online to Dar’s bank accounts. For more information about this activity you can visit the site: www.sabihlitaghti.org or call one of the numbers below:

€10         5160 2011

€15         5170 2012

€25         5180 2013

€50         5190 2070

€100       5130 2044

Pledge Line: 2146 3686

BOV Mobile  7932 4834