Hospitality & Shelter for Immigrants and Refugees

Civil war, ethnic cleansing and hate force families to be uprooted. Some family members have been killed, and the remaining family must flee, other family members die during their trip on land or sea. When they reach our land safely they are as considered illegal immigrants and have to go through legal procedures and formalities.

After spending their sixteen months in detention according to Maltese Law these immigrants have to seek shelter in open centres. Hundreds of them under tents in Hal Far Tent Village, OIWAS, Appogg House and Good Shepherd Convent, Balzan.

Since February 2002 we give shelter and hospitality to 45 immigrants/ Later in November 2005 we signed an agreement with the Ministry for the Family and Social Solidarity to provide accommodation at the Peace Lab to a maximum of 20 adult asylum seekers or irregular immigrants at one time.

The state provides for their basic care but we aim to enable them with a range of special needs to realize a better life, a life with dignity and opportunities to fulfil their potential and integrate intgo the communities in which they live.

The centre is opened two hours daily from 4.00 to 6.00 pm to meet other immigrants, provide them with information and education and responds to their needs. Our friendship and trust make a difference to these people who are often marginalised within our society.

The Peace Lab offers them not a handout, but a helping hand regardless of their race or religion.

We live alongside these poor communities trying to give a voice to the voiceless.

Through all our activities in church, schools and in the media we remind one and all of their duties of building a better, fairer, more compassionate world.