Qatar University students travel to Indonesia on ROTA volunteer mission

Reach Out to Asia (ROTA) has coordinated an international volunteer trip, sponsored by HSBC, for 20 Qatar University (QU) students to Indonesia, as part of its ongoing efforts to provide underprivileged youth in Asia with access to quality education.

The ROTA-QU volunteers facilitated workshops for 200 students from Grade 1 – 6 at a school in the village of Bayat, in Yogyakarta province. Workshop topics focused on Sport for Education, Computer Literacy, Cultural Exchange, Arabic Language, and Environmental Awareness. The programme aimed to expand the knowledge and skills of local students, while giving volunteers the opportunity to develop their own life skills, witnessing first-hand the conditions faced by youth in rural Indonesia. Mohamed Abdulla Al Saleh, ROTA National Programs Director, said: “Education is key to alleviating poverty and empowering youth in disadvantaged communities. Our ongoing initiatives across Asia allow for effective knowledge transfer, making a positive impact in the lives of youth and their wider communities.”

Abdullah Alyafei, AVP for Student life and Services at Qatar University, said: “We are grateful to ROTA for granting our students this incredible opportunity. Volunteering and community service abroad is an eye-opening experience for students. It gives them the chance to contribute to the lives of others in less fortunate areas. Additionally, it is a great way to promote understanding and cultural exchange between the two countries. We certainly believe that these activities and student engagement are highly beneficial in terms of developing new skills and becoming more culturally aware of the world.”

ROTA is a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) and, in line with its mandate, the volunteer trip offered volunteers an opportunity to empower youth through education, while also building their own capacity and awareness of the social impact of volunteering and community service. Mohammed Al-Shoraim, a QU volunteer, said: “In this trip, we have learned a lot from the students who are intensely eager and enthusiastic to pursue education despite of their limited resources and humble tools. We have to be extremely thankful for what we have. Those who want to succeed have to rely on themselves and not on the available means and resources. We came to learn and have learned a lot.”

“I was really impressed by the young students' desire and passion to learn in addition to their speedy intuition. This strong unprecedented willingness to learn despite of their difficult financial situation encouraged us all to empower and support them to continue their education and realize their dreams. This ten-day volunteer trip was eye-opening and has provided me with intense experiences, it was full of new learning experiences such as teaching children, learning from them and becoming acquainted with a new culture and people as well as the chance to make new friends,” said Mohammed Khader, who is also a ROTA-QU volunteer.

"We believe that education is key to prosperity as it offers people the chance to develop their skills, realise their potential and make a meaningful contribution to society. This partnership with ROTA was the perfect opportunity for HSBC to positively impact the lives of the children of Bayat. It was an honour for us to be a part of this project," said Abdul HakeemMostafawi, CEO at HSBC in Qatar.