ROTA and Qatar Foundation "Made a Difference" in Doha
- 150 volunteers took part in 6 activities In an effort to improve our community
Qatar-based NGO Reach Out To Asia (ROTA) called its volunteers back into action and partnered with the Qatar Foundation - Education City Service Committee to organise a community impact day aimed at Education City students and faculty staff, titled Make a Difference Day: Bringing Education City Together to Serve.
The event, which was held yesterday in Qatar Foundation Campus and was sponsored by Education City Service Committee, saw involvement in a range of projects covering areas as varied as environment, charity work with labourers, running creative workshops at the Dhreima Orphanage and care for vulnerable animals in QAWS (Qatar Animal Welfare Society).
These projects included the redesigning of the Psychiatric Department gardens at the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), planting trees to revitalise the landscape around Doha and a clean-up at Al Wakra Mangrove beach.
At the HMC's Psychiatric Department, 'My Beautiful Garden' project was inaugurated to plant trees and flowers alongside the installation of new outdoor furniture to provide better living space and ambience for psychiatric patients to receive a comprehensive treatment.
In her comments, Reem Al- Daghma, ROTA Volunteers Program manager, said: "We are delighted to see the support of our dedicated team of volunteers for the Make A Difference Day event. The various activities organised across different locations was a very enjoyable and fulfilling experience. I thank our volunteer team who are always there to lend a helping hand in all ROTA endeavours. It gives us immense pleasure to see familiar faces again, returning to assist in whichever way they can."
Reem added: "Through their positive and enthusiastic attitude, we have really made a difference to many sections of the society in one day -- a memorable experience for us and well as the lives that we touched!!"
In 'Operation Green Streets', volunteers planted trees in the public gardens near Landmark Mall, in an effort to offer a greener landscape to sandy Doha. The country is becoming more environmentally aware, and with the desire to overhaul Doha's landscaping, this was a brilliant opportunity for ROTA to step in to help.
Further on environment, a massive beach clean-up was coordinated to remove rubbish from Al Wakra's ecologically complex mangrove beds which have been eroded because of heavy construction and waste disposal due to poor environmental awareness. As part of the campaign, the volunteers also picked up any items deemed recyclable at the sites.
In Dhreima Orphanage Stories were told to young children who also took part in video and drawing workshops. At the same time, volunteers visited the Al Meera Food Store and covered the staff duties, by packing groceries, assisting customers etc, in an effort to relieve the low skilled workers.
Thanking ROTA for supporting the program, Curt Kenoyer, Campus Live Coordinator, Office of Faculty and Student Services, Education Division, Qatar Foundation, said: "We are thrilled to be part of the Make A Difference Day program which offered us a wonderful opportunity to come together and help others. It is was a great way to give back to our community, care for the environment and lend a helping hand to those who are less privileged than us and we are looking forward to the next year event."
Under the sponsorship of the Education City Service Committee, 150 volunteers in total participated in this special day and made a difference in Doha. The Education City Service Committee is currently chaired by Reach Out To Asia and includes representation from Qatar Foundation Campus & Residence Life as well as each of the branch campuses and ABP. The purpose of the committee is to help foster a lifelong commitment to service and volunteerism by providing opportunities for members of the Education City community (students, faculty, and staff) to serve both locally and internationally.
