Reach Out To Asia (Rota), Qatar’s leading non-profit education and community development organisation, yesterday announced the launch of its “My Education… My Hope” fundraising campaign for needy children in five countries.

The programme is part of Rota’s overall Ramadan 2014 campaign.

“This Ramadan Rota is asking the Qatar community to think about children growing up without access to educational facilities, projects and resources,” said Rota’s Executive Director Essa al-Mannai.

“The purpose of this initiative is to help raise awareness and funds for children in Palestine, Yemen, Pakistan and Nepal, as well as Syrian refugees in Lebanon. Our aim is to secure a better future and provide hope to these vulnerable children to ensure they can receive support for their educational needs,” al-Mannai said.

“Together with our valued volunteers and esteemed partners, Rota will once again make a difference to disadvantaged communities in all of our neighbouring countries during the Holy Month of Ramadan.”

A station at Villaggio Mall will allow the local community, corporate partners and governmental bodies to contribute and engage with Rota to learn more about its initiatives, and to celebrate the holy month with the Rota team.

Bracelets will also be sold as part of the fundraising initiative for QR 15 at Virgin Megastores and all Manaa stores for the public to share and support Rota’s spirit of Ramadan.

Rota will be raising funds and implementing educational projects across five neighbouring countries this Ramadan, including Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, Nepal and Pakistan.

In Lebanon, Rota will be providing community-based education opportunities to over 2,000 children affected by the Syrian crisis in Tripoli and Akkar. Rota will work with local communities to recruit, train and develop local teachers’ skills and provide schools with essential new furniture and heating equipment.

“Education plays a critical role in providing these vulnerable children with safe spaces for learning and provides a sense of normalcy, stability and hope,” al-Mannai said.

In Palestine, Rota  will contribute to developing and upgrading the educational sector in West Bank through the expansion of educational facilities, promoting vocational training and culture of reading, as well as developing the skills of teachers and students alike.

Rota will work to develop young entrepreneurial and self-employment skills to provide essential training for future employment in Yemen. The project will harness existing local resources and offer access to information and support services, with the intention of delivering better economic opportunities to the local youth.

In Nepal, Rota will implement an on-going project for rural communities through the provision of Community Library and Resource Centres, as well as relevant life and education training, with a focus on engaging and empowering the Nepalese youth. About 50,000 children will benefit from the project aiming to improve the quality of education facilities and resources, advocating innovative on the ground solutions.

Over the next three years, Rota will provide girls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan with access to informal education above primary level by modelling community-based education through evening schools.

More information can be had by visiting http://www.reachouttoasia.org/en/donation

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