The 26th of June is the International Day against Drugs promoted annually by the United Nations. But this same date is also a special day for the OASI Foundation in Gozo. This year OASI celeberates its 19th Anniversary from its official opening. Throughout these years the OASI Foundation has helped various people: children, youths and adults alike through its services which it operates from its headquarters in Gozo.

While OASI is mostly associated with problems related to addiction, its field of work is wider than one may think. There is more than therapeutic treatment and rehabilitation programmes based on the 12 Steps of AA with a very positive outcome as regards assisting persons in their recovering from their addiction on drugs and alcohol. In fact OASI has its stronghold in its educational and preventive programmes particularly in the schools, where every year it reaches a an early stage all students from primary to post secondary level with its preventive activities. To these one has to add parental skills sessions, intervention on local and national radio stations, printed material and other edutainment activities for children and youths to keep them out of the mess of substance abuse.

For OASI Foundation prevention means assisting people: to get to know and respect themselves, to proudly identify themselves with measures which will improve their health and consequently to reject those actions that will have adverse effects on their life.

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Cordina, Director General of OASI Foundation commenting on the occasion of this 19th anniversary from the birth of his social-baby OASI said that when a person is attending the recovery program at the OASI Foundation, the staff takes the parental role for the clients, are bound to take care and support them in the recovery process, exactly like parents would do when their child gets into trouble and needs help. Clients also bond between them and it is important that there is support from the surrounding of the addict who is in the process of recovery. Clients also learn that the support that they are receiving in turn they should be giving it to others who are in similar situations. This bond of giving and taking helps the clients to increase their self esteem, but more important it helps the person to find acceptance and feel the love they have been craving for, for so long.

To commemorate its 19th anniversary a BBQ for present and past clients was organised on Friday night, the 25th of June. On Sunday, the 27th of June, the Director General of the OASI Foundation celebrated the Holy Eucharist as a Thanksgiving ceremony at the OASI premises together with the Board of Directors, staff, volunteers, clients and their families. Afterwards everyone was invited to socialize and join in together during reception with food and refreshments.

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