Vodafone Qatar and Reach Out To Asia (ROTA), a charitable organisation supporting education in Asia, recently held a review meeting in Doha, during which they discussed the life-changing successes that resulted from their cooperation.

The meeting also assessed the progress of their education and community projects and established future plans to take the partnership forward.

In 2012, Vodafone Qatar confirmed the strength of the partnership with a QR9 million ($2.5 million) donation to support education and community initiatives implemented by ROTA in Qatar, Nepal and Indonesia.

“ROTA is grateful to Vodafone Qatar for their generosity in allowing us to continue our mission of helping people affected by crisis across Asia and around the world have continuous access to relevant and high-quality primary and secondary education,” said Essa Al Mannai, ROTA executive director.

“Our partnership has contributed directly to the mission of community service alliance and helped us meet the needs of those we serve.

"With Vodafone’s help, ROTA has been able to support innovative and exciting education projects in countries that need them most. And here in Qatar, youth leaders have benefitted from the establishment of ten ROTA Youth Service Clubs that are changing the shape of community service in Qatar,” he added.

In Indonesia Bayat school teachers, along with the Indonesian Ministry of Education officials, are learning modern teaching skills through the Teacher Quality Improvement initiative, improving teacher’s soft skills and equipping them with social, personal and pedagogical skills to better manage the classroom.

Qatar-Titian Scholarship Fund, sponsored by Vodafone Qatar, provides access to higher education for 200 disadvantaged students in the village of Bayat, devastated by an earthquake in 2006. In 2012, 46 students moved on to pursue their education in University; while others offered very well-paid jobs, a statement said.

Teachers in Nepal are also reaping the benefit of learning modern training techniques. In a country where many towns and villages are prone to natural disasters such as earthquakes and flooding, ROTA and Vodafone Qatar are helping to build the capacities of the communities on disaster risk reduction, as well as promote safe school standards through disaster prevention initiatives.

During 2012 over 650 students, 50 teachers and 400 families benefitted from ROTA and Vodafone Qatar sponsored volunteer trips to Cambodia, Bangladesh and Indonesia in total.

Student/adults volunteers experienced the true spirit of volunteerism and fostered bonds across cultural boundaries; achieving a broader understanding and new respect for the educational and social needs of communities in Asia.

In Qatar, ten ROTA Youth Service Clubs designed to unlock the potential of the country’s youth have been established. To date, more than 300 Youth Service Club members have taken part in Youth Service Leadership trainings to develop skills needed to tackle community projects.

“Vodafone’s purpose has always been to make a world of difference, whether in the way people communicate, or in improving their quality of life,” explained Dana Haidan, head of Corporate Responsibility of Vodafone Qatar.

“Our partnership with ROTA has resulted in life-changing programs and initiatives for tens of thousands of adults and children living in troubled communities across Asia. We are proud of our relationship with Reach Out To Asia, and we look forward to collaborating on new projects in the years ahead.

“At Vodafone Qatar, we believe in the impact that volunteering and community service can have on the personal and professional development of youth which is why we are supporting the ROTA International Outreach Programme,” added Haidan. – TradeArabia News Service