Reach Out To Asia’s Ramadan 2011 Campaign Coming to a Close
With the end of Ramadan quickly approaching, and the devout getting ready to commemorate the Eid celebrations, Reach Out To Asia’s volunteer-driven “ROTA Reaches Out to All Children” campaign is beginning to wind down. In the true spirit of the month, iftars, housing renovations, and Garangaou celebrations were all held with the unwavering support of ROTA’s local partners.
“As our Ramadan 2011 project focused on Qatar’s children, we knew that success would not have been possible without our partners,” said Mr. Essa Al Mannai, ROTA Director.
“This year, we were honored and grateful to receive support from THE One, Qatar First Investment Bank, Al Meera and the Dhreima Qatar Foundation Orphanage. Because of their firm backing, many of the country’s children and families have been reached by our initiatives, and have been able to truly celebrate Ramadan and the values it stands for.”
THE One, Qatar’s premier furniture retailer, sponsored a house renovation with in-kind donations and volunteer help. The two-day rehabilitation included general renovations, repainting the surfaces, and other repairs. In addition, the outlet supplied brand new furniture for the home, including carpets and other fittings.
“THE One has always had a very community-focused CSR approach,” explained Gabriel Salome, Country Manager.
“We were honored when Reach Out To Asia offered us a partnership for Ramadan. As ROTA, we believe that partnership with other like-minded organizations is essential for the success of any initiative. We are delighted that we were able to make a difference for the family in Ramadan, and collectively experience the spirit of this Holy Month.”
An iftar held for the residents of the Qatar Foundation for the Elderly , and another house renovation are two “ROTA Reaches Out to All Children” campaign initiatives that were supported by Qatar First Investment Bank. The bank also provided food vouchers to underprivileged families in the country. As a Shari’ah-compliant financial institution, the bank’s involvement lent credence to the Ramadan initiatives, and provided significant support to its overall success.
We share rota's vision in reaching out to the less fortunate specifically during the holy month of Ramadan. As an islamic institution We have an on going commitment to support and ensure the welfare of the underprivileged in our community. Our annual Ramadan Blessing campaign was launched with this objective in mind. This year our partnership with ROTA contributed significantly to the success of our campaign. We look forward to a continuous partnership with ROTA, said Mr. Emad Mansour, Chief Executive Officer at QFIB Al Meera, the nation’s foremost food retailer, partnered up with ROTA to distribute food to families in need in Qatar. Al Meera offered in-kind donations of food items, while ROTA volunteers handed out the packages.
"Al Meera is part of the community, and issues that affect our communities affect us too,” said Mr. Guy Sauvage, CEO of Al Meera. “We were more than happy to team up with ROTA to provide food for needy families all over the country, and we hope that we helped them celebrate the virtues of Ramadan along with the rest of us."
The Dhreima Qatar Foundation Orphanage played a crucial role in fulfilling ROTA’s Ramadan campaign. As a key ROTA partner and a beneficiary of the month’s initiatives, the orphanage hosted an iftar honoring the campaign sponsors, as well as to celebrate Garangaou.
"We are grateful for the support provided by ROTA and their strategic partners in supporting the orphanage and its mission during the Holy Month of Ramadan,” said Mr. Khaled Al Emadi, the Dhreima Foundation’s General Manager. “The children were ecstatic as they engaged the volunteers and participated in Garangaou. We are extremely thankful for ROTA’s altruistic efforts in bringing the joy of Ramadan to the orphans."
Although sponsors played an important part in supporting ROTA’s Ramadan campaign, the success of “ROTA Reaches Out To All Children” is in part due to the selfless work of the volunteers. As the core driver for the campaign, volunteers from both ROTA and its partners worked tirelessly to cook and prepare the iftar meals, engage with children and the elderly, and lead activities.
"Like all of our initiatives, whether they are in Qatar or abroad, we involve volunteers in most aspects of our programs,” said Mr. Mohammed Abdulla Saleh, Community Development Manager at ROTA. “Ramadan provided an ideal opportunity for the volunteers to give back directly to their communities at home, in a manner that reflects the values of the month."
Even though Ramadan may be ending at the end of August, Reach Out To Asia will celebrate with the volunteers, sponsors, and partners the success of "ROTA Reaches Out to All Children” at the end of September, in a Ramadan Reflection Event.
"Ramadan may be only be 30 days long, but the repercussions of our initiatives will continue on for a long time,” concluded Mr. Al Mannai. “This is our way of saying thank you to all those involved. "
