115 Easter Eggs And Surprise Gifts Donated To Reception Centres As ‘Gesture Of Solidarity With Refugees’
The Migrant Offshore Aid Station has marked the buildup to Easter festivities with a donation of 115 chocolate Easter eggs – with surprise gifts – for families, unaccompanied minors and adults in Malta’s migrant reception centres.
“This Easter, we feel the need to renew resilience and send a message of hope to vulnerable people who are living in difficult situations and experience feelings of sadness and loneliness,” co-founder and director of MOAS Regina Catrambone said.
The donation came as a result of this Easter being “different” from others, according to MOAS.
“The festivity is marked not only by the suffering of the Ukrainian population but also by the terrible earthquake in Turkey and Syria, as well as the increased influx of migration, which has resulted in hundreds of lives being lost at sea in the past few months: children, women and men who have risked everything to flee conflict and persecution, in search of safety.”
The organisation remains committed to a mission of bringing assistance to “the most vulnerable people in any possible way” and has ongoing operations in Ukraine, Yemen, Somalia and Bangladesh.
Similar work is also being conducted for the benefit of asylum seekers in Malta, who MOAS says are likely to feel isolated, being so far from their loved ones while people are coming together for Easter.
Through the labour of their volunteers distributing gifts, MOAS made this donation in coordination with the Agency for the Welfare of Asylum Seekers, Peace Lab and Osanna Pia Home – as well as the courier company FastDrop, which waived its delivery fee in support of this initiative.
“Our donation is just a little gesture to show solidarity with refugees and asylum seekers. Our hope is to provide a moment of shared joy and let them know that they are cared for and supported,” explained Catrambone.
“My sincere thanks go out to all the donors and supporters who made this happen,” she added, before concluding, “Happy Easter to all!”
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