Doha: Qatar Airways (QA) has announced support of Qatar Friendship Fund (QFF) through its sponsorship of the Elem Project, an experience-based educational programme.
The programme is run by Junior Achievement Japan, Iwaki municipality and Sendai municipality.
Project facilities, Student City and Finance Park aim to give students in Japan the opportunity to experience life lessons and gain skills that will be crucial to them in the future.
QFF was a gift from the Father Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani in 2012 to the people of Japan to support relief efforts following the 2011 earthquake in the east. It operates under the auspices of the Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
It continues to support friendship between Japan and Qatar as it focuses on strategic priorities of child education, fisheries, healthcare and entrepreneurship. Through funding and support from Qatar, local organisations in Japan are able to develop projects related to reconstruction in education, healthcare and fisheries in afflicted areas.
QFF is under the direct leadership of the Foreign Minister H E Dr Khalid bin Mohamed Al Attiyah and chaired by Qatari Ambassador to Japan Yousef Bilal with support of the advisory committee in Japan.
QA is supporting the Elem Project through the installation of two educational booths in Iwaki and Sendai.
Student City and Finance Park, established with QFF support, are designed as mock towns with ‘businesses’. Students will have the opportunity to visit establishments and role-play as adults while learning life lessons and developing skills related to day-to-day tasks such as banking, budgeting, travel and shopping.
QA CEO Akbar Al Baker said: “QA is happy to be able to support on-going efforts of QFF. It is our belief that development of programmes, which educate children on useful life skills, will benefit them immensely, not just in the future, but even now in their day-to-day lives. We are strong believers in education and proud to be associated with such a worthwhile project.” QA will have one booth each in Finance Park in Iwaki and Sendai. The Iwaki facility opened at the end of May, followed by commencement of the Sendai facility in August.
Finance Park will focus on 8th grade students, and require them to take on the role of the budget controller within a family. Students will be tasked with making ‘purchases’ at the shop-like booths while keeping in mind their household budgets and family living conditions.
The Peninsula
