Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1459407
18 Unity SUNDAY 13 MARCH 2022 People What is your role at the Faculty? I'm the messenger and beadle How long have you been working at the University? Approxi- mately 13 years Any children? Three What is your favourite pastime? Going to the gym Do you like sports? Yes What is your favourite sport? Football Do you practice any sport? Mostly jogging and work-outs at the gym What is one experience you recall when you were young? When I met Alessandro Del Piero Which is the country you would keep visiting? I would say Italy because I never get bored of visiting Turin. Sicily is another favourite What is your favourite football team? Juventus... of course! Which song would you hum in the shower? Naturally, the Juventus hymn Which is your favourite Netflix series? Breaking Bad What are you afraid of when you grow old? To remain alone… therefore loneliness What is one item you cannot live without? I cannot live without my kids for sure, but if I had to pick an item, I'd say... TV Do you believe in God? Yes Do you have pets? Yes, a female cat – she's cur- rently very old and I'm trying my best to lengthen her life Should animals have the same rights as people? I believe that animals need to have rights yes. I'm against animal cruelty, definitely What is your favourite meal and drink? Pizza and beer What is one value in life that guides you? The values my father taught me: respecting and valuing the family JOSEPH DeBATTISTA FRANCES MALLIA FORMER SOCIAL WORK MANAGER "I didn't have it easy. But looking back, I believe life is what you make of it" At what age did you start study- ing social work at university? I went to university at the age of 40. Why did you leave it so late in your life to start your university course, when I've always known you speaking about your love for studying since you were very young? Precisely because I didn't have the resources to study before. When I was at school I was al- ways completely focused on my studies and loved learning about everything. Nothing else mat- tered. Somehow, I knew that if I take my studies seriously I will manage to get out of the darkness that characterised my childhood and youth. And why social work? Probably it was the fact that I was always empathic and wanted to help other people. Where did this passion to help others come from? Family always turned to me for advice and guidance. I was al- ways a good listener even when the friends of my children came to our home. Relationships are very important to me and I de- veloped many special bonds with them. One particular situation I remember was when a friend of my daughter Abigail was 'coming out' and he wanted to talk about this transition. I felt very humbled and very special that he chose me. It meant he felt safe confiding in me. I think that the fact that oth- ers felt they could trust me made me even more eager to help. I did not have an easy childhood, and this is putting it mildly. My father was an alcoholic, a good man nonetheless, but this prob- lem ate him up. Even though he had a good salary very little ended up in the family coffers. We lived in poverty with very limited if any resources whatsoever. We lived in a slum area (kerrejja) in Hamrun. It was chaotic. We lived in two rooms and had a very tiny toilet. As children, we would only wash completely once a week in a basin. We were the underdogs in our community and indeed, we were pushed aside by those around us because of where we lived, and because of our dysfunctional fam- ily. My mother had to keep bor- rowing money to be able to sus- tain us. We always seemed to lack the essentials in life. I remember very distinctly that as a 14-year- old girl I used to promise myself that when I have my children of my own I would make sure they would not go through this. Family for me was always important. Was it all doom and gloom? No... I remember going to the Prof. Andrew Azzopardi caught up with Frances Mallia, whom he has known for almost half his life. For a number of years Frances and Azzopardi crossed paths when they studied social work together. Prof. Azzopardi has always been fascinated by her sense of self-giving...