Volunteering can have a real and valuable positive effect on people, communities, and society in general. It helps you be a part of your community, learn new skills, and gain experience. There are plenty of such opportunities in Doha for you to give back to -- and if you’re confused on where to start, it’s worthwhile to join Facebook groups such as Qatar Volunteers or the Silent Volunteers, they update their pages with all upcoming events and initiatives that you can sign up to volunteer for.

If you’re new to volunteering in Qatar and just getting started, it’s also helpful to register with TAMM: Qatar Volunteers Network. They’re partners with many major non-profit organizations based in Qatar -- such as Reach Out To Asia (ROTA), the Qatar Voluntary Center, and Silatech. All events planned by these organizations welcome people of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds who share a mutual interest in serving the community and making change, one step at a time.

Reach Out To Asia (ROTA) is a non-governmental, non-profit organization guided by Her Excellency Sheikha al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani. Its aim is to help provide basic quality of primary and secondary school education to children throughout Asia and the Middle East. ROTA's mission is , “to extend that assistance into Asia - where its strategic geographic location gives it a unique opportunity to support its neighboring countries as they overcome developmental difficulties. In addition, more than 60% of Qatar's own expatriate community is of Asian origin, giving ROTA added insight and understanding of the needs and cultural norms of the Asian people.” For more information, click here.

The Qatar Voluntary Center promotes a culture of voluntary work in the community, identifying its areas, objectives, perspectives, and benefits. It also documents its contributions to development through partnerships to promote voluntary work among youth, volunteer initiatives, and community institutionsfocused on encouraging and steering youth towards community service. For more information, click here.

Silatech contributes towards the development of Arab societies and helps reduce youth unemployment. They deliver their mission by mobilizing the needed resources to initiate sustainable innovative programs to connect Arab youth to jobs and guide them to the right path for their future endeavors. For more information, click here.

Volunteering doesn't have to be an instant act of giving; you can serve your community for a lifetime by learning something new that’s beneficial to you and to the people in it. Why not learn Braille at the Al Noor Institute, take sign language training at The Qatari Center of Social Cultural for the Deaf.

Our little furry friends need help too and lovely animal shelter groups like the Qatar Animal Welfare Society welcome new volunteers! They’re open from 4:00 p.m. till 6:00 p.m. every Thursday to Saturday and donations are always welcome. If you’re interested, keep an eye out on their Facebook page for updates.

These are just some of the ways to help you give back to our Qatar community. Why not drop us in a line in the comments below and tell us about your volunteering experiences! Also, don’t forget to give us a like and a share -- it keeps us going!

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ILQ Staff

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