This is the full text of Natalie Briffa Farrugia’s speech at the launch of iCare on Friday 4th May 2018

The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking don’t settle.

These are the words of Steve Jobs, the inventor of Apple, the company behind the iphone and ipad. But these words could have easily have been mine. I relate to them so much.

Throughout my career I have always strived to do  the work that fulfilled me as a person and to do something that directly or indirectly makes a difference in someone else’s life. I have established this as the mission in my life. Be it in the classroom as a teacher, in Ethiopia and Guatemala as a volunteer or at CareMalta first in operations and now as a CEO. I also do this as a mother of two girls.  At the end of the day I want to look at myself in the mirror and ask whether I managed or failed to stick to my mission.

I know that for many of you gathered here on this occasion this also an experience you can relate to. I know that for many you the work that you do does not simply make up a job but much more than that.

However, we are gathered here today because we all believe that we can be better in what we do.

This is what iCare is all about.

iCare is not a set of instructions, policies or procedures. iCare is meant to be more than that. We want iCare to become our common language. The languange with which each one of us speaks whatever one’s job. Irrispective of the circumstances and situations one finds oneself in. iCare should become that from which distinguishes us from our competition.

iCare is meant to be the language of Professionalism,Engagement and Compassion about which we have heard so much today.

Once we all start speaking the same language, and despite our good intentions this cannot happen overnight, then we can truly say that we would have reached our target.

iCare was built on our 25 year long experience as leaders in the business of care for the elderly. But it is not meant some kind of memento of the past but it must be our key to the future.  We want to make ourselves future-proof in a changing world with a changing set of values. 

We believe in our team. Had it not been the case we would not not have come to this point. We firmly believe that together we can go to the next level.  We do not want to go there for some corporate or personal glory. We want to go there with only one person in mind: the resident.

iCare is aimed at making the resident journey a better one.

A journey in which the resident finds a home-like atmosphere filled with professional and friendly staff

A journey in which the resident is treated with dignity, respect, friendilines and efficiency.

A journey in which the resident’s privacy and personal space is respected at all times.

A journey in which the resident is listened to and understood,

A journey in which the resident is treated as an individual and not just a number.

A journey in which the resident feels safe and secure.

The road ahead may not be a walk in the park. Difficulties and challenges will crop up. However if we keep just one thing in mind – the resident –  then it should be easier to move ahead. 

We are in this business because of our residents.  So giving only the best to our residents is our business.

May I conclude with a quote from Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta: “It is not how much we do but how much we put in whatever we do”.

I personally do my role as CEO of this company with a lot of love and that is because I CARE.

I am convinced that one by one you will now stand up and commit to I Care as much as I do.

This will be our greatest success.