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Nhar il-Ġimgħa 7 ta' Lulju, l-Fondazzjoni OASI tellgħet konferenza bl-isem ,'It-Tfal u l-Addiction' taħt il-Patroċinju ta' E.T. It-Tabib George Vella President ta' Malta.

Il-Kap Eżekuttiv, Is-Sur Noel Xerri għadda l-messaġġ tiegħu f'din l-okkazzjoni. Biex wieħed jaqra id-diskors jista' jagħfas hawnhekk.

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Press Release - Jum l-OASI 2023

Fid-diskors għall-okkażjoni ta’ Jum l-OASI, il-Kap Eżekuttiv, is-Sur Noel Xerri, għamel referenza għall-ħidma li wetqet tal-Fondazzjoni OASI fl-2022. Huwa rrimarka li l-OASI kellha ‘l fuq minn 300 talbiet mingħand persuni li għandhom diffikultajiet ta’ addiction u ‘l fuq minn 200 persuna rċevew terapija residenzjali jew fil-komunità’. Huwa semma li 44% ġew inizjalment minħabba diffikultajiet relatati mal-kokaina u 41% minħabba problemi relatati max-xorb. Tenna’ wkoll li huwa nkwetati li kien hemm nuqqas fl-ammont ta’ nies li avviċinaw l-OASI minħabba l-problema tal-kannabis, kkomparat mas-snin ta’ qabel. Fil-fatt, matul l-2022, 6% ta’ dawk li talbu l-għajnuna kellhom problema ta’ kannabis, waqt li kien hemm 10% fl-2021 u 12% fl-2020. Il-Sur Xerri saħaq fuq l-importanza tal-motto li l-OASI dejjem ħaddnet “Il-ħajja sabiħa mingħajr droga”, u kemm dan għadu attwali. Hu semma’ it-tbatija li jgħaddu minnha il-membri tal-familja minħabba l-problema tal-addiction, fejn ta’ eżempji konkreti ta’ dan.

Onor. Dr Alex Borg reġa’ saħħaħ l-argument li għamel is-sena l-oħra għal din l-okkażjoni- l-importanza li neliminaw l-kelma ‘rikreattiv’u nsemmu biss l-użu tad-droga, għaliex biż-żmien, l-użu tad-droga jġib diversi diffikultajiet. Suġġett ieħor li ffoka fuqu l-Onor. Dr Borg kienet l-importanza tas-settur tal-prevenzjoni. Huwa għamel referenza għan-nies fis-soċjetà tagħna li ma jagħmlux użu mid-drogi u semma kif dawn il-persuni jiġu affettwati minn ċerti ideat li jġiegħluhom jiddubitaw għandhomx ikomplu bid-deċiżjoni tagħhom li joqogħdu ‘l bogħod mid-drogi, jew humiex jitilfu mill-esperjenzi li għaddejjin minnhom l-ħbieb tagħhom li jagħmlu użu mid-drogi. Huwa tkellem fuq l-importanza tal-evalwazzjoni tal-qasam tal-prevenzjoni u ssuġġerixxa li inħarsu lejn l-livelli ta’ suċċess ta’ dawn l-istrateġiji u nevalwaw hemmx affarijiet li jistgħu jinbidlu biex ikunu aktar ta’ suċċess. Huwa għalaq billi jfakkar il-ħidma mportanti u essenzjali tal-fondazzjoni OASI u ħeġġiġha sabiex tkompli fil-miġja tagħha.

‘Kemm hu sew li aħna hawn.’ Dan kien il-kliem li bih fetaħ id-diskors tiegħu c-Chairman tal-Board tad-diretturi tal-fondazzjoni, s-Sur Joe Borg. Huwa spjega minn fejn oriġina l-isem tal-Fondazzjoni OASI. L-oasi hija għall-post fejn wieħed isib l-ilma wara li jkun ilu jissielet fid-deżert u kif bl-istess mod, l-OASI tgħin lill-persuna jgħaddi mid-dlam għad-dawl. Is-Sur Borg saħaq fuq l-importanza li wieħed qatt m’għandu jaqta’ qalbu, anzi għandu ikompli jiġġieled, għax l-kuntentizza tinsab biss fir-rebħa tal-bidla. Is-Sur Borg tkellem ukoll dwar l-għan li bih twaqqfet il-Fondazzjoni 32 sena ilu- li ż-żgħażagħ jingħataw opportunità li jesperjenzaw bidla. Saħaq ukoll li għalkemm s-soċjetà’ tagħna qed tinbidel b’mod mgħaġġel, il-ġlieda tal-OASI tibqa’ l-istess, u r-rebħa ta’ kull wieħed tibqa’ l-istess. Huwa semma’ wkoll l-importanza tal-volontarjat u kemm il-ħidma li wettqu kienet impekabbli għal din l-Fondazzjoni. Huwa saħaq li din l-esperjenza hi każ ċar li juri kemm meta tagħti bla kundizzjoni, tirċievi lura verament ferm u ferm iktar.

Il-bord tad-diretturi tal-OASI flimkien mal-Kap Eżekuttiv tal-Fondazzjoni rrikonoxxew l-ħidma ta’ Dun Manuel Cordina u l-diretturi l-oħra li flimkien waqfu din l-organizzazzjoni. Huma ukoll irringrazzjaw lil dawk kollha li huma t’għajnuna f’din l-mixja bħal Knisja t’Għawdex li kienet ta’ sapport mill-bidu, lill-Ministeru tal-Politika Soċjali u l-Ministeru għal Għawdex tal- għajnuna tagħhom.

Il-poeta Dr Alfred Grech qara poeżija li pprepara għal din l-okkażjoni. Rappreżentanti mill-Caritas Malta u s-Sedqa kienu preżenti ukoll għal din iċ-ċerimonja. Għaċ-ċerimonja attenda ukoll is-Sur Anton Tabone li kien strumentali ħafna fit-twaqqif ta’ din l-organizzazzjoni.

F’dan il-jum speċjali ta’ Jum L-OASI,  żewġ voluntiera li ilhom jaħdmu kontinwament għal ‘l fuq minn 20 sena ġew rikonoxxuti bi-premju ta’ ’Ġieħ l-OASI’ għall-għajnuna tagħhom. Nhar it-Tnejn 26 ta’ Ġunju l-Fondazzjoni OASi tikkommemora it-32 sena mit-twaqqif tagħha.

 

Press Coverage:

Diskors ta' Jum l-OASI:

 

 

Posted by & filed under News, OASI Services.

OASI foundation prides itself on delivering the best services to its service users. Our premises includes counseling rooms and a residential unit where our service users work on their recovery. At our premises we also hold various talks, seminars, and educational sessions.
These (as we all know) need constant maintenance and upgrading. To keep such an NGO running takes lots of energy, time and money. Last year we had support from the Ministry of Justice to upgrade some of the needed items. With this funding from 'Skema Solidarjeta Mal-Vittmi tad-Droga' project run by the Ministry of Justice various updates are being managed thanks to this special funding. We are very grateful for receiving such support. Thank you Ġustizzja

Posted by & filed under News, OASI Services, Press Releases.

A press release was issued by 23 organisations including OASI Foundation appealing for urgent need for regulating the ' free for all' use of Cannabis.

To read the press release in English you can read here.

To read the press release in Maltese you can read here.

 

Press coverage:

Posted by & filed under OASI Events, Press Releases.

Press Release

The eighth edition of the OASI Cup Run & Fun Walk was held on Sunday 2nd of October 2022. The event was organised by the OASI Foundation. Sport is scientifically proven to be a healthy way to improve mental health, to relax, to improve self-confidence and socialise. The OASI Foundation strongly believes that this, in turn, enhances the probability of keeping substance use at bay while promoting addiction recovery.

The OASI Chief Executive Noel Xerri stressed that rather than competing with others, it is more important that one challenges himself and strives to be better than he was. He also emphasised the need to help others improve as there is where true satisfaction lies. The Hon. Minister for Gozo Clint Camilleri, Hon. Dr Alex Borg and Hon. Abigail Camilleri participated in the event. All of them passed on positive messages to those present by commenting on the importance of living a healthy lifestyle, whilst thanking the OASI Foundation for contributing toward social awareness. The message “prevention is better than cure” was also highlighted.

This 8th edition of the OASI Cup Run and Fun Walk was successful and it was well received  having 180 participants  who participated in the 10K run, 4.5K walk, and three children’s runs which covered children aged between four to fifteen 

This event could not have been successful without the guidance of the Athletic AC Gozo and Trigozo and the contribution of the Ministry for Gozo, HOG, Galea General Service, H2Only,Dr Juice, J&J Zammit Limited, Silhouette, Magri Cycles, the Victoria Scout Group and the Victoria Girl Guides. The Duke Boutique Hotel and Ta’ Maria offered their support as well.

Additionally, the OASI Cup Run & Fun Walk would also like to thank Mr Paul Scicluna, as well as all the OASI volunteers and staff for their dedication and endless support throughout the process of organising this event.

The timings of the 4 runs can be found here.

Press Coverage:

Posted by & filed under OASI Events, Press Releases.

 

The ninth edition of Youths4Youths was held today Thursday 15th of September 2022. The event as per pervious years has been organised by the OASI Foundation in collaboration with HSBC foundation.

The OASI Foundation main focus is the overall well-being of citizens in Malta and Gozo. Keeping children healthy and exposing them to healthy activities through nonformal education such as today’s event, is crucial for their development. Such exposure is directly linked to better mental health, to relax, improve self-confidence and socialise.

27 young participants joined this event whose ages ranged from 8 to 12. Youths toured around the Dwejra Marine Environmental Education Centre which provided edutainment including insight into the fauna and flora found around Dwejra. Thereafter, the youths also had a boat ride around the caves that connects the Inland Sea to the Open Mediterranean Sea. The boat trip gives one a view of the towering cliffs and caves.

Back at OASI, a session was delivered by ERRC. This consisted of very insightful information presented by Andre Bonnici. The children engaged and asked many questions, which were all answered in due course.

As the children set around the table, a gratitude prayer was said, and soon after they had their lunch. Children had the opportunity to evaluate the learning experience through a visual feedback sheet.

The OASI Foundation would like to thank HSBC Malta Foundation for the sponsorship along the years, as without its help, such an activity would not be possible. Furthermore, through this press release the OASI Foundation wants to show their appreciation towards the Dwejra boat ride organisers who have generously offered the youngsters with an eventful and insightful Dwejra ride. Last but not least the OASI foundation thanks deeply the volunteers whom without them this event would not be possible.

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Eating disorders are complex mental health conditions characterized by disturbances in eating behaviours and thoughts about food and weight. Eating disorders are not simply a diet or a lifestyle choice, they are serious illnesses that impair psychosocial functioning and physical health. On the 5th and 6th of July 2022 Dar Kenn għal Saħħtek in collaboration with OASI Foundation held a two-day training seminar at OASI Foundation covering this subject.

With an introduction from Prof Anton Grech from Malta and with the following speakers from Italy Prof Laura Dalla Ragione, Dr Costanzo Panacc, and Dr Camilla Borganzoni, gave further insight about this subject. During this event History and evolution of Eating Disorders, Eating Disorder and Drug Addiction, the Mental Image of Body and Alteration of Body Image and Body Schema in Eating Disorders, and Nutritional Rehabilitation for Eating Disorders to name a few of the topics.

This training seminar was well attended with participants from Gozo and Malta, hailing from different professions mostly in the field of health care.