Prime Minister Robert Abela inaugurated the Madonna ta ‘Pinu House in Ghajnsielem, Gozo, a residential house in the Gozitan community for people with disabilities with an investment of € 800,000.
This residence is run by Fondazione Arka, which with an investment of € 400,000, bought and refurbished this residence in order to be habitable. For its part, the Government, through the Support Agency, has invested another € 400,000 over three years in supervising and assessing people with disabilities who use this service.
This residence accommodates up to five male and female residents, all adults. The people who live in this house are all semi-independent and are all Gozitans.
Prime Minister Robert Abela reiterated the importance of such projects, for people with disabilities to continue living in the community.
“Life and active participation in the community are the way forward to ensure true inclusion. That is why such projects will continue to find government investment. While we need to continue to build new residential homes in communities for people with disabilities, we are investing in more new personal assistance services and schemes that will enable people with disabilities to continue to live an active life in the community in which they were raised. ”
For her part, the Minister for Inclusion, Quality of Life and Volunteering Julia Farrugia Portelli said that this investment continues to build on the various initiatives taken to ensure that people with disabilities have an increasingly independent life. .
The Minister for Gozo, Clint Camilleri, said that this government has made large investments in the social sector in our country and not least in Gozo.
“As a Ministry for Gozo, we have worked with various organizations, including the Ark Foundation, to work alongside those most in need in society, we have done so and will continue to do so,” said Minister Camilleri.
He recalled the joint work carried out in recent years, where Dar Arka has benefited from several key initiatives, including the agreement reached in June, in which the Foundation was awarded no less than € 2.12 million.
Fondation Arka, which runs this house, also has two other residences which are Dar Arka which offers residential and respite service as well as Dar Jublew tal-Ħniena which is also a residential house.
Photos: OPM
