The generosity of the Maltese people came to the fore during last Friday’s Xarabank programme on TVM when a total of €163,715 was pledged to Caritas Malta. Telephone and SMS donations kept coming in after the programme, resulting in total donations of £181,997.

Caritas Malta expresses its thanks and gratitude to all those who made donations.

This editon of Xarabank was dedicated to the programmes of rehabilitation from drug abuse pioneered by Caritas, and other services the organisation provides to people in need.

This was also a tribute to Mgr. Victor Grech, who turned 83 on Friday and was regaled with well wishes and thanks for his vision and work in helping addicts stop the use of illict drugs and return to society.

At the base of this edition of Xarabank were chilling stories of pre-teen addiction to injected heroin, uncontrollable use of drugs in spite of seeing death in the family from overdose, and the suffering of parents who see their children fall victims to drugs. A strong message was sent out to children and youths to stay away from drugs, and to parents to be vigilant and on the look-out for signs that anyone in the family is using drugs.

Persons in rehabilitation said that a common factor in falling for drugs was staying with friends older in age. They emphasised that the first touch of any drug, bit it pill, paper, powder or any other form, led to addiction which then brought damning effects including uncontrollable sickness, pain, paranoia, and physical damage to the body.

They were explicit in their gratitude to Caritas Malta, where they had found understanding, love and a family atmosphere which helped them forgive and rediscover themselves, and ask for forgiveness for the pain they had inflicted on their loved ones.

During the programme, Mgr. Grech showed his appreciation for the generosity of public, whose response was a sign of appreciation of the work being done by Caritas Malta, and a tangible encouragement to keep up its rehabilitation work and the other services to people in difficulty.

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