Reach Out To Asia (Rota) has partnered with Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar (VCUQ) to send 25 student and faculty volunteers on a seven-day trip to Indonesia, where they are scheduled to visit a Rota-funded technical and vocational education project.

The trip is supported by the Vodafone Qatar charitable fund dedicated to supporting students and individuals who have the desire to volunteer through Rota’s International Outreach Programme. The trip offers an opportunity for undergraduate students to explore and expand their skills.

“Vodafone Qatar has been funding the Rota International Outreach Programme for the past three years because we believe in the impact that volunteering and community service can have on people’s personal and professional development. It helps volunteers see the world in a whole new light and urges them to play a much more active role in making a difference in the world,” said Dana Haidan, head of corporate responsibility at Vodafone Qatar.

In May 2011 and 2012, the Rota Volunteer Programme co-ordinated international volunteer trips for VCUQ students in collaboration with VCUQ Student Life. The trips were an overwhelming success, with VCUQ as well as Bayat School (Indonesia) students and staff requesting to repeat the visit on a yearly basis.

As part of the latest trip, the Rota-VCUQ volunteers are scheduled to participate in a focused activity programme featuring student-led, peer-to-peer, arts-based workshops for 150 Indonesian students.

The Rota project in Indonesia focuses on preserving the traditional arts of batik and pottery and the VCUQ workshops intend to complement the curriculum by offering the Bayat students a chance to explore and expand their skills in drawing, fashion design, jewellery-making, Photoshop and book-binding. 

The group will also participate in a community arts project, Indoartamiks, a Vodafone Qatar-funded programme supported by Rota that works to build the capacity of Bayat School students, alumni, local crafts women and local artists through intensive training, workshops and experimentation.

“Our activity programme is designed to immerse the students in the local culture and ensure that they benefit from a positive learning experience during the visit,” said Marrakech E Arbuckle, international volunteer specialist, Rota.

Rota’s Indonesia  project provides education for children, livelihood skills for youths and adults, besides featuring the construction of a vocational training centre that will serve important community purposes and a vocational training centre for local skills,  “At VCUQ, we are inspired by the conviction that volunteerism is a powerful means of engaging people in tackling development challenges worldwide. Our volunteers are excited to have an extraordinary opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of people in Indonesia,” said Lesley Gray, international programme co-ordinator at VCUQ.

“The Rota-VCUQ volunteers visiting Indonesia have a wonderful opportunity to participate in a project that is shaping the future of many young people. We look forward to hearing about their experiences when they return home,” said Mohamed Abdulla Saleh, Rota community development manager

After returning from Indonesia, the volunteers and supporters will be invited to a Reflection Event where they will come together to discuss and share their experiences in Indonesia with others. 

In addition, VCUQ and Rota will seek to maintain the momentum of their partnership by exploring opportunities to publicise the volunteers’ trip reflections among their VCUQ peers and the wider community, as well as advocating the needs of students in Indonesia through Qatar-based activities.

More information about Rota projects in Indonesia and 10 other Asian countries can be accessed at www.reachouttoasia.org or www.facebook.com/reachouttoasia