Rota volunteers make a difference in Cambodia

Twenty-three volunteers representing four independent girls’ secondary schools in Doha participated in an eight-day trip to Cambodia, organised by Reach Out To Asia (Rota), to make a difference to the lives of local families and students.In collaboration with Rota’s Cambodian partner, the Monithapana Foundation, and under the sponsorship of Vodafone Qatar, the all-female volunteer group from Al Bayan Independent Secondary School for Girls, Al Sailiyah Independent Secondary School for Girls, Qatar Independent School and Amna bint Wahab Independent Secondary School for Girls hosted workshops for around 200 students at the Rota-funded Monithapana Kandal General High School.Before presenting four workshops covering sports & healthy living, the Arabic language, Qatari culture and art & social media, the Rota volunteers visited Phnom Penh Dubai Islamic School where they spent time practising Arabic and playing games with the students. “The students and the volunteers had a great time and learnt a lot from each other. It was a wonderful experience for them. The group worked hard but also had an exciting time,” said Mohamed Abdulla al-Saleh, Rota National Programmes director. “The visit to Cambodia gave the Rota volunteers a wonderful opportunity to develop and enhance important life skills such as communication, empathy and interpersonal relationships. In addition, they experienced a Rota project that delivered high-quality modern education in a safe learning environment.”The 23 volunteers, who had a four-day orientation session in Doha before they left for Cambodia, held peer-to-peer sessions, enjoyed lunch with the students and prepared interactive and participatory activity-based learning sessions for them. The volunteers also participated in various community service visits during their stay in Cambodia. When the volunteers were not busy visiting schools, they grabbed the opportunity to learn about Cambodian history, visit cultural sites, travel to the Mekong river, participate in leadership training sessions and even enjoy the occasional rainstorm.“All the students who travelled from Doha are a credit to their parents, their schools and to Qatar. From the moment they arrived in Cambodia they embraced the opportunity to interact with the pupils and engage in meaningful and memorable life-changing experiences,” said Noora al-Kubaisi, a teacher from Al Bayan Educational Complex for Girls. “Everyone connected to the school is determined to make the most of the extraordinary opportunities Rota has given us.”“The visit to Cambodia has changed me,” said Amal al-Emadi, one of the volunteers from Amna Bint Wahab Independent School. “I have come back to Doha knowing I need to do something. I must let people know about the important work Rota is doing to create a better future for thousands of Asian children, and how they can get involved in this work.”The Rota Volunteer Programme is planning to invite all the volunteers, parents and school officials involved in the trip to a celebration event to reflect on the Cambodian experience. “Visiting Cambodia was a rewarding experience. I got to do many things that I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to do otherwise,” said Hissa al-Mansoori, a volunteer from Qatar Independent School. “What I have learnt in Cambodia is that every child has the capacity to succeed in school and in life if only s/he has access to quality education, and this is what Rota is doing.”For Khamera, a student from the Rota-funded school in Cambodia, the visit by the volunteers was an unforgettable experience. “The Rota volunteers’ visit has boosted my morale and instilled more confidence in me. I am thankful to them for the valuable service they did during their stay here.”