From left: Rota Volunteer Programme Manager, George Tavola, Rota Executive Director, Essa Al Mannai, Oxy Qatar President and General Manager, Stephen Kelly, and Oxy Qatar Deputy General Manager, Hasan Mohammed Al Malki, at the press conference at Qatar Foundation Recreation Centre yesterday.
BY RAYNALD C RIVERA
DOHA: For three days, 30 volunteers will join hands to renovate the home of a family in need in Al Shamal as part of Reach Out To Asia’s (Rota) Ramadan 2013 Project.
“Two homes will be renovated with the help of Rota volunteers, one is in Al Shamal. We have yet to identify the other one which is also located outside Doha,” said George Tavola, Volunteer Programme Manager at Rota, adding they are working with Qatar Foundation Facilities Management division for feasibility assessment.
Both family homes will benefit from a house ‘makeover’ which includes home maintenance, repainting and new furniture.
As part of Rota’s Ramadan project, house renovation has been a very popular and challenging activity for volunteers and “we look forward for this to be an ongoing activity,” Tavola said.
Under Rota’s annual Ramadan initiative, volunteers will also be distributing basic food items such as rice, oil, milk and flour to families in need. Rota will also be hosting three community Iftar events with community-based institutions who work with people with special needs in addition to hosting a Garangao festival event with the Children’s Rehabilitation Centre and the Hamad Hospital Paediatric Unit.
Rota’s Ramadan programme will culminate with a photo exhibition and fundraising Iftar on July 25, proceeds of which would go to Rota’s scholarship programme in Indonesia, said Tavola.
Now a traditional event in its annual community development calendar, Rota introduced its first Ramadan Project back in 2007 and has so far helped hundreds of families and individuals during the Holy Month.
This year’s project will involve around 200 volunteers for five weeks in all activities which would benefit over 800 members of the community.
“The holy month of Ramadan is a blessing for the whole of mankind. Ramadan reminds people to think about poverty and hardship and reflect on how we can share resources with those people less fortunate than us. Together with our volunteers and partners, Rota will once again make a difference to disadvantaged communities in Qatar during Ramadan,” said Rota Executive Director Essa Al Mannai.
The campaign is sponsored for the second consecutive year by Occidental Petroleum of Qatar (Oxy Qatar).
“It is a privilege to support Rota once again in its Ramadan 2013 Project. One of the focus areas of Oxy Qatar’s social responsibility programme is to engage with communities to help improve the lives of the less fortunate. Our partnership with Rota exemplifies this commitment. We strongly encourage Oxy employees and the public to get involved in the activities being planned. On behalf of Oxy Qatar we thank all the people who are working so hard to make this year’s Ramadan Project a successful and very meaningful event,” said Oxy Qatar President and General Manager, Stephen Kelly. The Peninsula
