ACCOMPANY SERVE ADVOCATE

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LOCAL

80.5% of all asylum seekers were granted international protection in Malta in 2015. A further 5.1% were granted complementary forms of protection. The top three nationalities granted international protection were Libyans (1004), Syrians (281) and Somalis (56).

Despite the fact that only 104 asylum seekers arrived by boat in 2015, Malta received 1693 asylum applications during that same year. The top three nationalities that sought asylum were Libyans (890), Syrians (390) and Eritreans (71).

“A lasting solution, the possibility to begin a new life, is the only dignified solution for the refugees themselves.” – Poul Hartling, former Commissioner of UNHCR

In 2015, there were 60 million forcibly displaced people of whom more than 20 million persons were refugees and asylum seekers. If this were the population of a country, it would be the 24th largest in

the world.

Half of the 60 million displaced are children. How many of these children are in primary school? One in two. Only one in four is in secondary school and only 1% of the 60 million is in university.

In 2014, 42,500 new people were displaced every single day. That’s a new person forced to flee every other second. Developing coun-tries host over 86% of the world’s refugees, compared to 70% ten years ago.

In Syria, half the country’s pre-war population — more than 11 million people — have been killed or forced to flee their homes.

UNHCR estimates that less than 30% of the 19,000 who arrived by boat from Libya since 2002 remain in Malta.

The needs of refugees are multi-faceted

Over the years, we have learnt that the fulfillmentof basic needs, including safety from persecution and violence, is only the first step in journeys of hope undertaken by refugees. We have learnt that protection is not just a piece of paper. In order to counter hopelessness and the sense of missing perspective which many of them face, refu-gees – like all of us - also need to feel they have a future whilst making peace with the wounds of their past.

JRS Malta aims to create communities that encourage refugees to live life to the full. Refugees deserve to have the support they need so that they can live in dignity and self-sufficiency, to develop their potential, to be able to look after their families, and to live in a community where they truly belong and not one in which they are consid-ered to be permanent guests.

INTERNATIONAL

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More than 30 years ago, Fr. Pedro Arrupe SJ, then the renowned head of the Jesuit order, was deeply shocked by the harrowing plight of the Vietnamese boat people and determined to see what

the Jesuits could do to help.

In 1980, Fr. Arrupe founded the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), which has since grown into an inter- national organisation that serves 949,000 people with 1,800 staff, Jesuits, religious and lay people

from different faiths, serving refugees in camps, urban areas, war zones and detention centres in 45countries

The mission of JRS is to accompany, serve and advocate for the rights of refugees and other forcibly displaced persons, who rank among the world’s poorest and most vulnerable. We seek to serve refugees as their companions, this is key to everything we do. As an international Catholic

organisation and a work of the Jesuits, we are inspired by the compassion of Jesus, who made it his mission to reach the most marginalised people of his time.

Our services promote hope by enabling refugees to continue their education and by equipping them with life-changing skills. Advocacy is crucially important, based on our deep belief in the intrinsic dignity of each and every person. We work so that refugees may find protection, humane living

conditions and durable solutions for their future.

JRS began its work in Malta in 1993, in response to the arrival of several hundred asylum seekers who had arrived in Malta mainly from Iraq and the former Yugoslavia.

Over the years, JRS Malta expanded its services to include legal advice and provision of information to asylum seekers in detention, advocacy, public awareness-raising, social work services,

limited healthcare and psychological support, and spiritual care.

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At JRS Malta we respond to these needs with:

Compassion

Solidarity Hope

Participation Dignity

Justice

Compassion impels us to work to alleviate the suffering of our fellow human beings. JRS sees its service as a call to love and to treat others with equity and respect as we ourselves wish to be treated.

JRS is a work of the Society of Jesus, carrying out the Society’s mission of faith and justice through humble and respectful service in solidarity with refugees from diverse cultures, nationalities and religions.

JRS aims to give hope to refugees and other forcibly displaced persons by providing both practical services and spiritual guidance.

JRS upholds the principle of subsidiarity, endeavouring to be accountable for its work and to be transparent in its decision-making process. We work in partnership with other religious congregations, humanitarian organisations and with refugees themselves, thus encouraging co-responsibility, discernment and participative decision-making.

JRS believes in the intrinsic dignity of every person and the fundamental common value in freedom of speech and religion. We work with refugees and other displaced persons regardless of their race, gender, religion or political view.

JRS is committed to promoting justice that empowers refugees to become “people with a voice of their own”, and to working together with them to challenge systems that deny or undermine human rights.

JRS aspires to encourage hospitality in action. We walk alongside the most vulnerable people – those who are “at the frontiers of humanity” – and offer them hospitality by giving priority to situations where the need is greatest.

Hospitality

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What we do:Our Vision is to accompany, serve and advocate for refugees and

forcibly displaced persons in Malta in order to achieve a truly inclusive community where everyone belongs

Encourage a life of dignity, freedom and belonging

Embark on a journey of reconciliation

Advocate for refugee rights

JRS works to improve the life of asylum seekers by providing a wide range of professional services. Our team of lawyers, social workers, psychologists and nurse offer assistance in the initial reception centre, detention centres and open centres as well as in the community.

Our advocacy comes from our closeness to refugees and this gives it international credibility. Often implemented in partnership with others, our efforts include training service providers and organising stakeholders meetings.

JRS Malta aims at creating space for encounter and mutual sharing by collaborating with different religious groups that share the same values underlying our work and through our Outreach Programmes in Schools and Parishes. In all our work, we strive to foster a culture of openness, embodied by hospitality.

JRS encourages self-reliance for the well-being of both the local society and refugees themselves. Building on the skills of refugees and assessing local market needs, we provide refugees and asylum seekers with training courses in education and employment. This helps refugees to restore their dignity, integrate locally and support themselves.

Promote integration and social inclusion

“What does protection mean for us? Protection means safety… it means shelter. But protection also means belonging to a community where we can give and take,

where we can belong again.” – An asylum seeker from Somalia

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“Life is a precious gift, but we realize this only when we give it to others.” Pope Francis

JRS Malta is currently running several projects which require a considerable amount of resources in order to make them sustainable. Over the two-year period 2016-2017, we are determined to achieve a set of goals which will not only help

refugees but also benefit the wellbeing of local communities. With your support we will be able to make this happen!

Working with 8-10 Christian communities and trained volunteers to create a “community of hospitality” by welcoming and supporting refugees in need, and providing hospitality - which includes accommodation, friendship and support.

We aim to encourage 10 families to follow a care-plan developed by a social worker in order to attain self-sufficiency.

In 2015 over 157 individuals in detention received legal assistance from JRS Malta and over 165 migrants were assisted with job seeking and accessing language courses by our team of social workers and volunteers. In 2015 JRS Malta had 820 visits to our Drop-In service requesting advice and assistance on different issues. The JRS School Outreach Programme reached over 1500 students during the first half of the scholastic year 2015-2016, while the Parish Outreach Programme reached 15 Christian groups in 2015. In December 2015, the Jesuit community in Naxxar welcomed a refugee family from Ethiopia to reside in their premises as part of the Communities of Hospitality project.

Creating opportunities for Maltese children to meet refugees and hear about their journey, whilst fostering a culture of peace and reconciliation.

JRS Malta plans to reach 3,000 children from primary and secondary schools during the scholastic year 2016-2017.

We will visit a total number of 25 schools in Malta and Gozo.

Providing professional legal, social, psychological, healthcare support and services to asylum seekers in detention and at our offices.

We aim to offer in-depth legal support to 350 refugees/asylum seekers.

We aim to offer in-depth social support to 250 refugees/asylum seekers.

We aim to offer individual psychological support to 100 refugees/asylum seekers

Communitiesof Hospitality

SchoolOutreach Programme

Ongoing provision ofProfessional Services

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CONTACTINFORMATION

Our service is only possible with the sustained help of individuals and organisations who share our values. By joining us on our mission, you will

give some of the world’s most marginalised people hope for a better future.

There is no other refugee organisation that works in quite the same way as the Jesuit Refugee Service. We invite you to begin a journey to find out

more about JRS and the people whose lives you can help to improve.

Your support can go a long way… whether you are an individual, a

business representative or a member of a community.

Your commitment will make a tangible difference in the lives of those who have been forced to flee

their homes and help them regain hope. It will help ensure JRS is able to respond in a timely and

sustainable manner to urgent needs.

If you are interested in supporting us or including JRS Malta in your Corporate Social Responsibility

Programme, please do get in touch with us for more information.

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I thank JRS with all my heart. If you ask me: ‘What did JRS do for you? I tell you that even the

smile of the people at JRS is enough. When we arrived we were alone and lost. Then someone told me

to call JRS. They gave us some help when we didn’t have anyone to help us. Many times, they helped

us with small things, but we needed them to live.

I’m an old man now. But I still hope in a quiet life. And I also hope to help other people. I would be

happy to help others, even in small ways. At the same time I’m very sad for my country. Syria is a beau-

tiful country. Just like Malta! But Syria is now destroyed. Nothing remains.” Dr Mazloum Fayez

“During the revolution in Syria my brother was killed and one of my

sons was shot. We decided to leave Syria and go to Libya. We tried to

start a new life in Libya but Libya is not safe. There is no government, no

police. There is a lot of fighting and everyone does whatever he wants.

You cannot say anything to anyone, because they can beat you and take

everything, especially if you are a foreigner.

I have a son in Sweden. He has been living there for more than ten

years. So we decided to join him there. However, once we arrived in

Sweden, the authorities sent us to Malta because our Schengen Visa

had been issued by the Maltese embassy. When my wife and I arrived

here in Malta, it was very difficult . We were given 430 euros a month and

we were paying 300 euros to rent an apartment. We didn’t have any more money. The last few dollars

I had spent at the airport because our luggage was 15kgs overweight. At first, my sons tried to help

but they don’t even have enough money for their families. They can’t afford to help us. Three of my

sons still live in Libya and they are all afraid. And when you are afraid you can’t work normally. My son

who was shot is recovering from an operation. And my daughter is still trapped in Syria and she can-

not escape.

Jesuit Refugee Service Malta is registered with the Commissioner of Voluntary Organisations (VO/0064)

+356 2144 2751 kyoko@jrsmalta.org JRS, St Aloysius Sports Complex, 50 Triq ix-Xorrox, Birkirkara

HSBC Bank Malta p.l.c.116 Archbishop Street, Valletta VLT1444SWIFT/BIC: MMEBMTMT IBAN: MT45 MMEB 4416 3000 0000 1611 6055 050Acc.no.: 016 116 055 050 – Birkirkara Branch

You may donate by cheque addressing to Jesuit Refugee Service Malta, or via direct bank transfer to:

Bank of VallettaRepublic Street, Valletta VLT1113SWIFT/BIC: VALLMTMTIBAN: MT11 VALL 2201 3000 0000 4001 2100 660Acc.no.: 400 121 00 660 – Birkirkara Branch

5% of donation will be used to cover administration costs. Please contact our Programmes & Fundraising Officer Kyoko Zhang for more information.