Over 2019, Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has intensified its development activities in Qatar, with over 53,465 beneficiaries, such as widows, orphans, patients, school students, and other vulnerable groups, as well as QRCS male and female volunteers.
According to a recent report from QRCS’s Volunteering and Local Development Division, the Social Care Section provided a wide range of assistance for needy groups. Its Humanitarian Services Fund provided diverse cash aid for 5,459 poor families, families with no breadwinner, and victims of emergency like fire or accident.
Muna Fadel al-Sulaiti, director of the Volunteering and Local Development Division, revealed the release of a guide to the Humanitarian Services Fund, specifying the standards, policies, and procedures that regulate the relation between programme organisers and beneficiaries.
“The guide serves as a general framework of governance, under QRCS’s strategy of ensuring the highest quality and transparency in operational and administrative processes,” said al-Sulaiti. “QRCS is the region’s only humanitarian organisation to adopt a governance guide for its Board of Directors, departments, and sections”.
As regards the Patients Support Fund, which covers the costs of treatment, medications, surgeries, and medical aids for poor patients, it has so far helped 13,495 beneficiaries, as follows: social and health support (9,000), treatment (1,100), and Cordiality Ramadan Iftar (3,395).
The Local Development Section holds development programmes addressed to certain social groups, including school students, expatriate workers, and penitentiary inmates.
Under the QRCS School Programme, theoretical lectures and practical training were provided for 10,278 schoolchildren, teachers, and administrative staff in first aid skills, healthy practices, risk reduction, and earthquake evacuation.
In co-operation with the Ministry of Interior and Qatar Scientific Club, vocational training workshops were held for penitentiary inmates on welding, metalwork, electric networks, refrigeration, and A/C, under the Imdad programme. In total, 116 inmates benefited from the workshops and 200 members of their families benefitted from social support and life coaching.
One of the major achievements of 2019 was “One Hand”, a programme aimed at promoting a culture of peace, coexistence, and social integration among expatriate workers. It held community awareness sessions for 44 workers.
The Volunteers Section has more than 4,800 registered volunteers of Qataris and residents, who contributed to many activities, events, and services. They recorded 15,437 volunteering hours in total.
To build the capacity of volunteers, 29 training courses were held for 826 trainees. A Time Bank website was constructed to help the volunteers to exchange volunteering hours. So far, it has 105 members.
