Reach Out To Asia (ROTA), a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), has completed a trip to Cambodia where 17 ROTA volunteers travelled to schools to conduct vital educational training, in cooperation with Vodafone Qatar. The volunteers visited Cambodia’s capital city Phnom Penh from 6 to 13 December to where they conducted a number of workshops for the benefit of local teachers and staff of Hun Sen ROTA School and other schools.

As a member of QF, ROTA believes in the importance of unlocking human potential as well as the development and power of human capacities. And through this latest trip to Cambodia, ROTA is supporting QF’s mission to provide world-class education and foster a progressive society by addressing immediate social needs.

During the trip, around 17 teachers and staff attended workshops on computer technologies; 20 took part in workshops on administrative and human resources skills development; and 20 teachers and staff were provided with training on sports, hygiene and environment awareness and teaching techniques. Mr Essa Al Manaai, ROTA Executive Director, said: “ROTA strongly believes in QF’s mission that aims to develop human capacities and unlock human potential of individuals to be active and innovative members of the society. Therefore, ROTA supports volunteer activities and trips that expose volunteers to the reality faced by in-country ROTA beneficiaries in order to raise their awareness on the importance of education as a tool for change.

These trips further develop volunteers’ psychosocial life skills and showcase international volunteering experience that become an inspiration to engage more youth in Qatar-based volunteering activities.” From Vodafone Qatar, Ms Dana Haidan, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Vodafone Qatar, commented on the organisation’s involvement in the trip, saying: “Vodafone is keen on supporting developmental and educational projects around the world and this is best exemplified in the cooperation between Vodafone Qatar and ROTA.”

Funded by ROTA, and developed in partnership with a local Cambodian NGO, Monithipana Foundation, the Hun Sen ROTA School was launched in 2011. It is a high school offering a Technical Vocational Education & Training (TVET) programme. Hun Sen ROTA School currently serves around 760 students and 49 teachers – 45 for the high school and four for the TVET programme. As part of the trip, the volunteers also visited other schools where they shared their teaching techniques during a workshop for academic staff.

Cambodia suffers from a high drop-out rate in schools, as well as a lack of teachers, shortage of funds, and poor access to schools, especially in rural areas. For children aged between 13 and 15, only 26 per cent attend school, with 74 per cent of children of this age having no access to schooling. ROTA is a non-profit organisation launched in December 2005 in Doha, Qatar, guided by Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. Operating under the auspices of QF, ROTA is committed to providing high quality and relevant primary and secondary education, encouraging relationships among communities, creating safe learning environments and restoring education in crisis affected areas across Asia and around the world. ROTA envisions a world where all young people have access to the education they need in order to realise their full potential and shape the development of their communities.

Follow us on our social media channels: @ILQlive @ILQlive @ILoveQtr ILoveQatar

KevinWaller

Start a discussion