Eighty per cent of CareMalta’s workforce are women. Many of these occupy leadership roles across the nine nursing homes for the elderly run by the company. Over its 27-year-long journey, the company has offered a wide range of family-friendly measures and initiatives that have empowered women at the workplace.

Jacqueline al Yasin, facility administrative assistant at Roseville in Attard, joined CareMalta in 2007 as a part-timer in the housekeeping department at Villa Messina in Rabat, when her two boys were very young.

She wanted to work short hours so she could be at home with her sons as much as possible. This work arrangement gave her the flexibility to be able to further her studies, as, even though she was never academic, she was bright and willing to be financially independent.

Recognising her talent and hard work, the company offered her the possibility to move a step up in her career with a new responsibility – a supervising housekeeper at Roseville – a year before this residential home opened its doors in 2011.

When Roseville welcomed its first residents, Jacqueline was offered to take on the role of a full-time housekeeper. She accepted, knowing perfectly well that she could handle the extra responsibility. In the meantime, she also worked extra hours, helping out with the home’s laundry and reception desk on her off days.

“I love to work. I wake up every day at 5am full of energy and by 6am I’m at the nursing home,” she says.

However, after a few years, the burden of combining several odd jobs with her full-time roles of housekeeper and mother became too heavy to handle. Being extremely organised and showing a flair for office work, she was offered the role of full-time receptionist at Roseville, a job she thoroughly enjoyed and excelled at between 2017 and 2019. In fact, she was awarded the Customer Focus Award by the company in 2018.

“Throughout my journey, the company has shown me trust and given me the support I needed to be able to continue working while raising my children. Having been offered multiple opportunities to grow and advance within the organisation makes me a happy employee and motivates me every single day. It’s great to work within an environment that supports a culture where people work hard to get results and where they are appreciated for their efforts,” she adds.

In her current role as facility administrative assistant, Jacqueline works very closely with the home’s manager, while also being in constant contact with the residents and their relatives. She carries out her work with pride, very often going beyond her call of duty, knowing deep down that at the end of her working day she is a richer person inside.

Jacqueline is also a point of reference for co-operating with staff and organising a number of events and activities for the residents.

“There truly isn’t a better moment than being thanked personally every day by a resident – either by receiving a chocolate, a card, or simply a hug.”