‘Every day we work for a more inclusive society to abolish the stigma’ – Hila

May is Mental Health Awareness month and to raise more awareness Hila, Home to Independence and Limitless Abilities, organised a walk in Valletta, on 16 May, starting from the Triton Fountain to St George’s Square.

With this initiative, Hila created an opportunity for the community to come together and raise awareness.

The CEO of Hila Homes, Janet Silvio said: “There is still a long way to go in order to remove barriers that have been built in the past by society and abolish the stigma there is about mental health but witnessing the results we get with our clients, whether big or small, is a constant inspiration to keep working to build more services for a more inclusive society. That ultimately was the main aim of this initiative.”

Participating in this event were staff members and clients from Casal Nuovo in Paola and Casa Apap Bologna in Mosta, both facilities are managed by Hila along with Dar Bjorn in Qormi. Residents from CareMalta facilities, Casa San Paolo and Casa Marija, also participated in this event together with the chairperson of Vassallo Group, Natalie Briffa Farrugia and the CEO of CareMalta, James Sciriha.

The purpose of having an entire month dedicated to mental health is to eliminate the stigma associated with mental illness by raising awareness of mental health conditions.

Through Hila, CareMalta Group’s expert in specialised care, persons are empowered through choice and developing individual abilities towards an inclusive and fulfilling life with the main aim for people with disability to reach their full potential.