Doha - Qatar-based NGO Reach Out To Asia (ROTA) organised a volunteer trip to Nepal, to offer educational support to three primary and elementary schools in Chitwan, Pokhara and Dampus.

Forty volunteers from 6 schools of Qatar, together with ROTA staff, flew on Wednesday to Nepal to conduct three different school-related projects and experience a service adventure from the lowland jungle areas of Nepal into the great mountain ranges of the Annapurna and Himalaya.

Nepal is one of ROTA's priority countries. During the first visit there, ROTA identified the need to support one of the schools in Pokhara area that suffered from the loss of a pupil who fell and drowned in the river located by the school. ROTA offered to the school the funds needed to build a screen fence as there was no barrier there to prevent that tragic accident from happening. Today, ROTA and its volunteers are going back to this school to help the construction of a library and offer books and other educational material to the pupils.

During the trip, that will last till November 26, the ROTA delegation will also contribute to the construction of a pre-school in the village of Chitwan as well as to the improvement of infrastructure in a secondary school in Dampus. Additionally, the students are conducting workshops and cultural exchange programs with the Nepali pupils, creating a stronger bond between the two countries.

Commenting on the trip, Reem Al Daghma, Volunteers Program Manager, said: "Through this volunteer trip, ROTA is playing a pivotal role in community development in Nepal in order to eliminate obstacles that prevent access to education. Through its holistic approach, ROTA's initiative in Nepal is aimed at facilitating information-sharing, knowledge and educational resources, as well as building educational capacity in local communities."

The Qatari schools participating in the project are Al Jazeera Academy, Qatar International School, Gulf English School, Qatar Academy, Al Khor International School and Doha Independent Secondary School for Boys.

During the trip, the students will also have the chance to discover the beauty and culture of Nepal, by participating in several activities like rafting, jungle trek and elephant riding.

Expressing her excitement of being part of the ROTA volunteer trip to Nepal, Sara Hussein said: "Volunteerism teaches you a lot and opens your eyes to a whole new world. We are happy to be part of this noble endeavor by ROTA. This visit will help us enhance the accessibility and quality of education in three Nepali villages and will offer us a unique experience."

Upon the volunteers' arrival at Katmandu airport, journalists, Nepali students and other community members were there to cordially welcome the delegation. Commenting on the visit, Sarin Shrestha, the General Manager of Rajdhani International weekly newspaper said: "I am very happy to see that Qatar is not only employing Nepali people but also came to our country to help us. ROTA is doing a great job here and we hope that it will always be by our side."

The trip to Nepal further reinforces the role played by ROTA in implementing community projects across Asia focusing on the importance of quality education for all.

- Ends -

About ROTA
Reach Out To Asia is an initiative launched in December 2005 in Doha, Qatar, by Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, daughter of the Emir of Qatar. Operating under the auspices of the Qatar FoundationQatar Foundation, ROTA is a non-profit non-governmental organization committed to providing quality education, encouraging relationships among communities, creating safe learning environments and restoring education in areas with serious social difficulties. ROTA's vision is equal educational opportunities for all, regardless of age, gender or social condition throughout Asia. Further information on Reach Out To Asia can be found at: www.reachouttoasia.org.

About Qatar Foundation
Founded in 1995 by His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, and chaired by Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Misned, Qatar FoundationQatar Foundation is a private, non-profit organization committed to the principle that a nation's greatest natural resource is its people. The headquarters of Qatar FoundationQatar Foundation are located within its flagship project, Education City. A fourteen million square-metre campus, Education City is home to numerous progressive learning institutions and centers of research, including branch campuses of six of the world's leading universities, plus a cutting-edge science and technology park. Qatar FoundationQatar Foundation also works to enhance the quality of life in Qatar by investing in 'Education, Science and Technology and Community Health and Development'.

For more Information, please contact:
Passent Al Sourie
Reach Out To Asia
Tel: +974-480 0296
Email: palsourie@qf.org.qa

© Press Release 2008

 

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