Qatar
Sandstormers pledge QR200,000 in support of Sheikh Eid Charity Association initiative
Sandstormers pledge QR200,000 in support of Sheikh Eid Charity Association initiative
As the Sandstormers, Qatar’s only charity cycling team, makes its final preparations for a 650km ride across four European countries in one week, the team’s beneficiary - Sheikh Eid Charity Association’s Beitak Beiti initiative – has made arrangements to provide basic comforts to 200 homes in Qatar. |
The team of 16 amateur cyclists will cycle more than 100km a day travelling along the Danube river from Budapest to Munich. Thanks to the donations of their corporate sponsors, Vodafone Qatar, Qatar Airways, RasGas Company Limited (RasGas) and QShield, along with contributions from family members and friends, the team has secured a cumulative sum of approximately QR180,000 and approaching the target of QR200,000.
The funds raised will go to the Beitak Beiti (Your House is My House) initiative to support 200 disadvantaged families in Qatar with basic household necessities to lead a decent life.
The Sandstormers will represent Qatar at the Global Biking Initiative, which brings together more than 400 cyclists from 25 countries for an annual charity ride across Europe in the summer. Each country team is required to raise a minimum amount of funds for worthy causes in their home countries. The team, led by Qatari national Marouf Mahmoud, started its journey on June 15.
“We’re very pleased to be supporting Baitak Beiti once again this year. While we have challenged ourselves by doubling our pledge to QR200,000 this year, we have been humbled by our generous sponsors’ support and the returning in-kind support of Qatar Airways and Vodafone Qatar,” said Mahmoud.
This year, Qatar Airways is supporting the team’s travel arrangements to and from Europe, while Vodafone Qatar is providing GPS and GSM telecommunications solutions to guide them on their cycling journey as well as team gear.
“While the Sandstormers team is relatively small, I am once again overwhelmed by the amount of funds their team is able to raise this year, which will reach QR200,000,” said Mohamed Hassan al-Ibrahim, manager of Sheikh Eid Social and Cultural Centre at Sheikh Eid Charitable Association.
The basic necessities provided by Beitak Beiti include refrigerators, airconditioners and safe cooking stoves, which are distributed to families of all nationalities living in Qatar. Direct donations to the initiative can be made through the association’s website, www.eidcharity.net
“Qatar Airways remains proud of its long tradition of supporting local sportspeople and major sporting events and we all wish the Sandstormers the very best on their journey,” said Ehab Amin, Qatar Airways vice-president (Commercial – Qatar).
“We wish them (Qatar Sandstormers) all the best on their upcoming journey and look forward to following them on the exciting cutting-edge Vodafone-powered technology we have provided for this ride,” said Dana Haidan, head of CSR, Vodafone.
“RasGas has a long-standing relationship with the Sheikh Eid Charity Association and we are very pleased to be sponsoring the Sandstormers to further our support for a very worthy cause in Qatar,” said Ali al-Marri, RasGas Public Affairs manager.
“QShield is proud to sponsor the Sheikh Eid Charity Foundation’s Beitak Beiti initiative through partnering with the Qatar Sandstormers,” said Said Ghazzi, managing director at QShield.