Pictured above: Bernadette Abela Fiorentino HR Officer Employee services and Josephine Grima  Senior Manager – HR Operations presenting the cheque to Mgr. Carmelo Farrugia, Assistant Director of Caritas Malta in the presence of Ms. Grace Cilia, Head of the Diaconia Unit and Mr Carmel Cremona. 

GO staff recently organised an internal fund raising initiative to support the efforts of Caritas International which is helping the victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. The money collected was doubled by the Company and presented to Mgr Carm Farrugia, Assistant Director at Caritas Malta, by Josephine Grima, Senior Manager HR Operations at GO.

“Every month GO organises a dress down day whereby employees donate €1 which is then donated towards a good cause. In addition to funds from our latest dress down day event, employees were encouraged to give a little more in aid of the Philippines.  The Company decided to double the amount collected to further support the many thousands of people who are still suffering from the devastating effects of Typhoon Haiyan. We’re very grateful to everyone who showed solidarity with the victims of this natural disaster,” said Ms Grima.

“Typhoon Haiyan, which recorded wind gusts of up to 235 miles per hour, affected 13 million people when it struck the Central Philippines late last year. Nearly 2 million people have been left homeless and some 2.5 million need food assistance. The challenge for agencies like Caritas who are on the ground helping these people to rebuild their lives is massive and long term. We’re grateful to those GO employees who have contributed to our funds and we urge other individuals and organisations to continue to remember the victims of Haiyan, even though it is no longer headline news,” said Mgr Farrugia.

Caritas’ combined relief efforts in the Philippines are already reaching over half a million people with shelter, water, hygiene and sanitation, essential living supplies and the means to generate income. In the town of Palo, Caritas is providing clean water and sanitation for more than 100,000 people having installed water bladders, safe latrines and cleared debris. On an ongoing basis Caritas is now providing soap, water purification tablets and other sanitary products, and encouraging communities to work together to prevent the spread of disease.