Last Updated on Friday, 18 February, 2022 at 8:54 am by Andre Camilleri
More than 140 children and teens participated in 214 sessions run by NGOs at the Ronald McDonald House Charities Learning Centre in Qawra in 2021 as RMHC pursued its mission to provide educational, social and counselling support to young people facing challenges.
Around 155 professionals from 16 different NGOs found the resources needed to carry out their work at the 360-square metre Centre, holding 809 hours of sessions while complying with all safety measures in line with guidelines issued by the health authorities.
The collaboration between RMHC and the Department of Counselling at the University of Malta continued as the Learning Centre accommodated counselling sessions by the Department’s students.
Children’s cancer charity Smiling with Jerome used the premises to prepare its Chemo Bags of Hope filled with essentials and gifts for young patients at the Sir Anthony Mamo Oncology Centre and Hospice Malta.
For six months, the centre accommodated the team from Caritas’ Tal-Ibwar Adolescents Therapeutic Centre before it moved into its new premises in September. Caritas’ clients attended individual psychotherapy, creative arts therapy, and therapy sessions for families. Volunteers of the Therapeutic Centre also provided participants with aftercare.
“RMHC enjoyed a productive year in 2021 despite the challenges brought about by the pandemic,” said RMHC Chairman Martin Xuereb. “We are proud to have supported children and young people from 95 families in the last 12 months and we look forward to building on this momentum in 2022.”
This year, RMHC will continue to work with various NGOs and agencies, including the Foundation for Social Welfare Services which specializes in the care of vulnerable people and the National Literacy Agency. RMHC has signed agreements with 10 NGOs, the most recent with NWAMI International Malta which promotes friendship across socio-cultural and ethnic communities.
The Malta Chapter of the Ronald McDonald House Charities is part of a global network that hosts programmes and services to children, young adults and their families in more than 62 countries. RMHC has enjoyed the support of McDonald’s owners, operators, suppliers, employees and customers around the world since 1974. The Malta chapter’s leading benefactor is Premier Restaurants Malta, which operates nine McDonald’s restaurants in the Maltese Islands.
