ROTA Ramadan project provides support to families in need

Reach Out To Asia (ROTA) has launched its Ramadan Project 2016, bringing together over 100 local volunteers to pack and distribute bulk groceries to more than 200 families in need across Qatar.  

This year’s Ramadan campaign, entitled ‘10 Years of Service’, marks a decade of support and commitment to members of the local community through activities that aim to connect volunteers with the wider community and the true spirit of the Holy Month.

Over the past 10 years, ROTA, with the support of numerous partners such as the Social Development Centre (SDC), has worked to identify families in need and include them on the distribution list.

“ROTA’s Ramadan Project has become an iconic annual event. This year is particularly special as it marks 10-years of community service with many new and like-minded individuals joining to make a positive difference to the lives of people in need,” said Mr Mohammed Saleh, Director of National Programmes, ROTA.

The cost of the bulk groceries has been covered by Occidental Petroleum Corporation (OXY) Qatar, who is sponsoring the Ramadan Project for the fifth consecutive year, while additional food items have been supplied by the Government Tender Committee.

Volunteers gathered to package food parcels containing items such as cooking oil, flour, lentils and milk powder that were distributed before the start of Ramadan. The programme also provided beneficiary families with shopping vouchers to purchase other products from Al Rawabi Food Center outlets.

“I really enjoy volunteering with ROTA. Working in a diverse team of volunteers to help families in need makes me feel proud of my community. Ramadan is a time for giving and this activity provides much needed assistance for these families,” said Saleh Alyafei, a ROTA volunteer. 

This year, more than 300 volunteers will participate in various community service activities set to take place over the next month, including community Iftars and the installation of computer labs for construction workers. 

As a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), ROTA believes in the importance of developing human capacity, and its Ramadan initiative aims to raise local awareness of the value of volunteerism and community service.