ROTA's Adult English Literacy Programme Continues Its Humanitarian Work In The Local Community With The Help of Qatar Petroleum

Doha, Qatar,18 February 2015

Reach out to Asia (ROTA), member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), has completed its second Training of Trainers programme (ToT) for over 120 volunteers. The initiative is responsible for providing training skills for 250 low-income workers as part of ROTA's Adult English Literacy Programme (RAEL) on 30-31 January 2015.

Sponsored by Qatar Petroleum (QP), the RAEL Programme provides both an educational opportunity for workers who may have had limited schooling in their own countries, and a valuable learning opportunity for the students and volunteers who gain new teaching skills, along with an understanding of different communities and their needs. The training course delivered to the volunteers covered a variety of topics to support the student volunteers in becoming full-fledged Literacy Trainers. The topics covered in the training included teaching and learning, communication and understanding the overall context of global migration.

As a member of QF, ROTA believes in the importance of unlocking human potential as well as the development and power of human capacities. The training programme helped fulfill this important mission which ROTA supports to foster a progressive society and address immediate social needs.

RAEL started last year over a 16-week period, split into two terms; the first in September and the second in February 2015. In the first term, 120 volunteers from the Qatar Foundation's branch campus universities, Ashghal and ROTA were entrusted with the task of helping low-income workers improve their English language skills. By teaching workers within their own organisations, the student volunteer tutors helped improve productivity, as well as demonstrate a commitment to social responsibility and life-long learning. ROTA held the second TOT for the volunteers to continue the success achieved in the first term.

ROTA's Executive Director, Mr. Essa Al Mannai, said: "ROTA's Adult English Literacy Programme has proved to be a very effective way of supporting local low-income workers and empowering them to achieve their aspirations and goals at work. We are pleased to resume the initiative and to build the capacities of such a big number of volunteers who dedicated their time and effort to this humanitarian initiative. It does make us proud to know we have so many people dedicated to improving and empowering the well-being of others. We are thankful to our sponsor, Qatar Petroleum, who also shares our belief of supporting workers through RAEL."

Alongside QF, ROTA works towards building stronger communities through initiatives that significantly impact youth and people in need. First introduced in 2009, the RAEL Programme was created primarily to develop the English literacy and language abilities of low-income workers in Qatar. A key feature of the programme offers opportunities for young people in Qatar to take part in experiential service-learning, thus developing their skills and knowledge as RAEL Literacy Trainers and Champions.

RAEL was launched in collaboration with the Georgetown University in Qatar, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Northwestern University in Qatar, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar, as well as the Public Works Authority (Ashghal).

-Ends-

For further media information and interview requests please contact:
Yasmin Shehata
Grayling
Telephone: +974 3362 1460  
Email: yasmin.shehata@grayling.com

About ROTA
Reach Out To Asia is a non-profit organization launched in December 2005 in Doha, Qatar, by Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.  Operating under the auspices of the Qatar Foundation, 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 for them to realise their full potential and shape the development of their communities.

For more information about Reach Out To Asia, please visit: www.reachouttoasia.org

About Qatar Foundation

Qatar Foundation - Unlocking Human Potential
Qatar Foundation for Education, Science, and Community Development (QF) is a private, non-profit organisation that is supporting Qatar on its journey from carbon economy to knowledge economy by unlocking human potential, for the benefit of not only Qatar, but the world.  Founded in 1995 by His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Father Amir, QF is chaired by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser. 

QF's work encompasses education, research and community development.  World-class universities are brought to Qatar to help create an education sector in which young people can develop the attitudes and skills required for a knowledge economy. At the same time, QF builds Qatar's innovation and technology capacity by developing and commercialising solutions through key sciences.  The Foundation also works to foster a progressive society while enhancing cultural life, protecting Qatar's heritage and addressing immediate social needs in the community.

For a complete list of QF's initiatives and projects, visit www.qf.org.qa

© Press Release 2015