Reach Out To Asia, (Rota) a member of Education Above All (EAA) Foundation, will expand its activities to North Africa and the Philippines, a top official has revealed.
“We are expanding our activities to Sudan and the Philippines, with some programmes lined up as part of the last Gala Dinner projects. We will announce the dates and will start the activities within a few months,” Essa al-Mannai, executive Officer, Rota told Gulf Times recently.
“We have partnered with Plan International a renowned, independent development and humanitarian organisation which works in 71 countries. Sudan is the farthest we are going and this is part of an initiative we had announced earlier as Reach Out to Arabia. Tunisia is also part of this initiative,” explained al-Mannai.
“As for the Philippines, it is part of Asia. We are really excited to go there.
The programme in Sudan will have three components which are: building schools, building dormitories and building vocational training centres,” said al-Mannai.
The official also noted that Rota is in conversation to expand the services to other countries where EAA partners are working. “At present we are going ahead with all the current projects. Once they are completed, we will start with some of the EAA projects. We have four volunteer trips every year. We will be more than happy to take our work to any of the countries operated by Educate A Child or Al Fakhoora, programmes of EAA,” noted al-Mannai.
He said, “We will be happy to provide all the support for our partners. Our current programmes will continue to benefit several countries. Our volunteer trips are a learning experience. Moreover, it has to be safe and has to be logically suitable. We are open to any such opportunities.”
As for the upcoming Mena Youth Capacity Building in Humanitarian Action (Mycha) conference taking place next week in Doha, al-Mannai, said that it aims to empower the youth and provide them training and opportunities. Mycha is organised and hosted by Rota and a number of countries from the Mena region are participating in it.
“This is the first conference and Mycha will be an annual event hereafter. We are committed for the conference for three years and will nurture it. Thereafter, it will be held in other countries in the region,” said al-Mannai.
Rota focuses on youth engagement, volunteering and community service and is the leading non-governmental organisation in Qatar over the last 10 years. It is part of EAA which has several leading organisations such as Educate a Child, Al Fakhoora and Protecting Education in Insecurity and Conflict.
Essa al-Mannai
