ROTA felicitates workers and volunteers at Adult English Literacy reflection event

April 21, 2014

Qatar’s leading educational not-for-profit organization Reach Out To Asia (ROTA), hosted a reflection event on 20th April at the Education City Student Center to recognize the outstanding achievements of Education City’s low-skilled workers and volunteer student tutors who participated in ROTA’s Adult English Literacy (RAEL) Program.

ROTA’s learning initiative was conducted in collaboration with selected Universities and in partnership with Qatar Petroleum (QP) to enable workers to achieve personal goals and improve life opportunities, far from their daily duties.

“Our partnership with Reach Out to Asia is a longstanding commitment and sponsoring Reach Out To Asia’s Adult English Literacy program clearly demonstrates the strength of QP's partnership approach in our corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives," said Mr. Abdulrahman Al-Obaidly, QP Public Relations and Communication Department Manager. "In addition, it affirms QP's commitment to the social development of Qatar as we contribute in empowering people with valuable skills that will surely make a difference in their lives”, he added.

During the RAEL Reflection Event at the Education City Student Centre, students and migrant workers were felicitated with certificates for participating in the 2013/2014 RAEL Program, the fifth and most successful ROTA Adult English Literacy drive to date.

For the current academic year, ROTA implemented the RAEL program in partnership with three Education City universities which are Georgetown, Weill Cornell Medical College and Carniege Mellon University in Qatar.

85 university students taught basic and intermediate level English classes to 250 workers employed across the three universities, with cleaners, pantry staff and other support staff among the Education City workers benefitting from improved English language skills.

ROTA’s Adult English Literacy classes are taught during a 16-week period split into two terms. The first term began on 22nd of September and ended on 22nd of December, with the second term starting in February and finishing in April 2014.

“The ROTA Adult English Literacy Program is a means of supporting workers to enhance their ability to achieve personal goals and improve life opportunities. We hope that by participating in the RAEL program, participants have developed higher aspirations and an increased sense of wellbeing and empowerment,” said  ROTA Director Mr. Essa Al Mannai. “We are thankful to our sponsor, Qatar Petroleum who also shares our belief of supporting workers to enhance their ability to achieve personal objectives and improve life prospects, through our adult literacy program,” added Al Mannai.

Mr. Al Mannai further said during an opening speech: “Receiving the support of Qatar’s most prominent corporation is testament to the success of ROTA’s Adult English Literacy initiative. We are extremely grateful to QP for its assistance as the RAEL program looks to continue teaching language skills that make a real difference to people’s lives.”

First developed in 2009, the RAEL Program was created primarily to develop the English literacy and language abilities of low-skilled migrant workers in Qatar. A key feature of the program offers opportunities for young people in Qatar to take part in an experiential service learning opportunity, developing their skills and knowledge as RAEL Literacy Trainers and Champions.

After training to become Literacy Trainers, the student volunteers deliver a specially created curriculum to help workers develop their English language skills.

The RAEL program provides both an educational opportunity for workers who may have had limited schooling in their own countries, and a valuable service learning opportunity for the students and volunteers gaining as tutors new skills and an understanding of different communities and their needs.