Valletta / New Delhi, 27 July 2026

The High Commission of Malta to India, today signed a grant agreement with the Society for Action in Disability and Health Awareness (SADHANA) for the implementation of the Official Development Assistance project, “From Rehabilitation to Resilience: Enabling Economic Participation for Young Adults with Disabilities in Rural Odisha State, India – Phase Three.” The agreement was signed by H.E. Reuben Gauci, High Commissioner of the Republic of Malta to India who has been resident in New Delhi for 6 years and is now concluding his tenure in India, and Ms Maria Concetta Buttigieg on behalf of SADHANA.

Funded under Malta’s Official Development Assistance programme, the initiative builds on two successful previous phases implemented in the Mayurbhanj District of Odisha State, India. Over the past three years, Malta-supported interventions have contributed to community-based rehabilitation efforts and supported programmes aimed at assisting individuals and families affected by mental health conditions, epilepsy and other seizure-related conditions. The project has also helped expand opportunities for children and adolescents with disabilities to develop their abilities and participate more fully in community life.

The new phase, which will run from July 2026 to June 2028, builds on these achievements and seeks to further strengthen community-based approaches to disability inclusion and economic participation. Implemented in partnership with local stakeholders in Odisha, the project will contribute to ongoing efforts to promote greater inclusion of persons with disabilities through skills development, livelihood opportunities and enhanced community support mechanisms. More than 300 individuals, together with their families and communities, are expected to participate in and benefit from the programme.

The initiative reflects the strong people-to-people ties between Malta and India and the longstanding friendship between the two countries. It also demonstrates Malta’s commitment to working in partnership with local organisations and communities in support of inclusive and sustainable development, while complementing broader efforts undertaken at the local, state and national levels.

This cooperation reaffirms the shared importance that Malta and India attach to promoting inclusion, dignity and equal opportunities for all members of society.