Aged 94, Rita Diacono Remains A Restless Volunteer For Maltese Families In Need

Even at the ripe age of ninety-four, Rita Diacono doesn’t shy away from going above and beyond to help families in need.

Rita, the eldest member of Home-Start, a service provided by the Children’s Directorate, explained how she spends her personal time aiding families in need by going to clean and buy supplies for them in a new interview with TVM.

“I go to see the families, help them clean the fridge, cook for them and sometimes cook them from home and Jackie comes and feeds them, I try to help, and gives them good advice,” she said.

The service Home-Start has been operating for the past fifteen years, helping over twenty families with young yearly. Rita has been active in it for eight years.

A strong woman from Valletta, mother to 11 children, grandmother to 30 children and great-grandmother to 15 children, Rita has helped 35 vulnerable children under the age of five.

Although Rita loves to volunteer, she still isn’t a stranger to the struggles and pain that families go through.

“I had to tell the chaplain to take care because it wasn’t a place for him to live, the boy was suffering, I couldn’t imagine that he would be raised properly, devoid of love, of everything.” expressed Rita

Remenda Grech, the Directorate of Children’s Head, stated that the Home-Start service, which has been operating for the past fifteen years, identifies families with young children who, due to various challenges such as poverty, illness, addictions, and other challenges, receive assistance such as cooking, cleaning, and homework assistance.

“It’s a concept of volunteer professionals, who receive training to be supportive of families with young children, who come to regard these volunteers as their aunts and friends and who give their quality time.”

This year, Home Start is assisting 22 families in need, with the support of 20 volunteers. Anyone who wants to help disadvantaged families by volunteering can get in touch with Appoġġ.

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