Sri Lankan orphanage inmates with the fundraising proceeds provided by Qatar Academy.
The Movember charity efforts of Qatar Academy’s male teachers went international this year and touched the lives of 26 orphans living in Sri Lanka. The annual fundraiser was a mustache-growing contest of sorts held in November as part of a worldwide movement to raise money for charity. Primary and senior school teachers competed and, after a month-long duel, primary school teachers emerged winners.
The money raised went in part to the Eravur Educational Development Institute (EEDI), a Sri Lankan social service organisation Qatar Academy supports. A significant goal of the organisation is to try and help a community devastated by 30 years of war and the 2004 tsunami. As the organisation grows, so does its commitment to address a wide range of needs within the community, including employment services, houses, wells and microfinance.
Fulfilling one of these needs is the Eravur Orphanage, where 26 boys, aged 6 to 16, orphaned by either the war or tsunami are living. Food and shelter are provided by the government and the local community, but the limited budget of the orphanage does not provide for needs such as bedding.
Student and teachers of Qatar Academy who visited them last May noticed this and, as a result, part of the Movember fundraising proceeds was used to purchase 26 new mattresses. The simple gesture brought smiles to the faces of the boys, who were grateful for the gift, making the effort all the more memorable for Qatar Academy’s teachers.
EEDI, in partnership with the local community of Eravur and Qatar Academy in Doha, continues to provide education to more than 200 children each year. The number is expected to continue growing as the school remains committed to providing long-term, self-sustaining assistance to the organisation.
The Peninsula
