Qatar Charity and Orbis UK Launch Campaign to Reduce Blindness in Bangladesh

QC signed a cooperation agreement with Ajyal Center for Training and Consultancy through which QC’s administration of developmental centers and Ajyal Center would cooperate to offer developmental and social services to the society by organizing activities, events and different programs, and holding training and educational courses.

Mr. Abdul Nasser Al-Zahr Al-Yafi’ee, QC’s Executive Director of Local Development, and Mis. Ghada Ayoush, the Director General of Ajyal Center for Training and Consulting, signed the agreement in Qatar’s office in Duhail.

The signed cooperation agreement stipulates that both parties shall cooperate by sharing their experiences and potentials in the field of developmental and social services so as to provide distinguished community service. They also agreed on mutual coordination to hold several purposeful activities and developmental programs.

Mobilizing Efforts

Mr. Abdul Nasser Az-Zahr Al-Yafi’ee, QC’s Executive Director of Local Development, said that this is part of QC’s efforts to support developmental work; that is related to training and expertise improvement. The goal is to make a quantum leap in that field. He pointed out to the big efforts which must be exerted in order to overcome a lot of obstacles.  

Al-Yafi’ee also added that through this agreement with ‘Ajyal’ Center, QC is trying to mobilize all the efforts to achieve the desired goals. The two parties agreed to work together in every possible way to serve all the developmental projects to serve the Qatari society.

Mr. Al-Yafi’ee expressed his gratitude to Ajyal Center for Training and Consultancy for its participation in the development process. He also emphasized QC’s willingness to cooperate and help in developing Qatar to see the Qatari 2030 vision come true.

Capacity Building

Ms. Ghada Ayoush, Director General of Ajyal Center for Training and Consulting, sincerely thanked QC and its staff members. She said that ‘Ajyal’ Center believes in training the Qataris to become leaders and to improve their skills. It also aims at achieving its goal of empowering the Qatari pepole so as to bring the Qatari 2030 vision to become a reality. Finally, as part of the center’s efforts to make real partnerships with local institutions, it welcomed the implementation of such initiative with QC; the international and local pioneering charity, which the center shares so many objectives.

Ayoush added that this agreement would be the beginning of cooperation between QC and ‘Ajyal’; such cooperation will create something creatively new that will keep up with the modern challenges. “We aspire to invest this agreement in mobilizing efforts to increase the knowledge of the members of the society and to increase their cultural understanding. With the help of training experts, we will make several activities and awareness programs through scientific and educational methodology. Our priority is to reinforce the values of the youths. We will do everything we can to achieve this goal. We will actively and seriously work with QC to identify our general goals and plan the way we are going to achieve them.”

Purposeful Agreements

QC had already signed an agreement with Tomooh for Voluntary Work Management in order to present a distinguished social work.

In addition, a number of agreements were signed with famous sport figures and journalists so as to be the ambassadors of good values.

In its headquarter in Doha, QC also signed cooperation, educational sponsorships, and voluntary initiatives agreements with educational centers and youth and voluntary institutions. They all aimed at serving the society and encouraging the Qatari youth to do voluntary work. For example, they inaugurated initiatives such as Salati (my prayer), Al-Majales Madares (sessions are like schools), and Suhba (companionship). QC also signed an agreement with ‘Layan’ campaign to relieve the Syrian refugees in Lebanon, and another agreement with ‘Rowad’ center. These agreements include the implementation of projects and developmental and educational programs inside Qatar and voluntary and relief campaigns outside Qatar. 

QC has recently opened 13 healthcare centers in different places in Bangladesh from which 500,000 people benefited at a cost of 1,000,000 QR.

QC made sure that the targeted beneficiaries are the neediest. Therefore, QC implemented the projects in the poorest districts which are Pabna, Kishoreganj , Gazipur, Naogaon, Madaripur, Barguna, Gaibandha, and Barisal. 

Comprehensive Services

As part of the project, QC supplied these centers and the outpatient clinic with drugs and medical items. It also covered routine medical examinations. QC runs these projects either directly, or through its cooperation with local committees in order to sufficiently offer the basic services of medical care.

For this occasion, Mr. Mohammed Amine Hafith, QC’s Office Director in Bangladesh, said that QC implemented these projects out of its endless efforts to support the health sector in Bangladesh for its importance in the developmental process. QC tries to offer comprehensive services to the needy people of Bangladesh who live in rural areas where poverty and literacy are found. Thus, QC’s projects targeted these areas.   

“These projects,” as he said, “will save the lives of so many people living there; especially chronic patients, women and children. They are the first victims of the lack of medical services. They are who need to cross long distances in order to be treated.” He then concluded his speech with, “QC will continue to exert efforts, it will continue to help and implement charitable and humanitarian projects. This is QC’s message and responsibility towards the poor, the needy, and the unfortunate.”

A Hospital & a Medical Center

Under its belief of the importance of the health sector, QC has recently implemented a medical project related to the Qatari Hospital and Medical center at a cost of 560,000 QR. It offers medical services to 100,000 people. It covers all kinds of treatments including outpatient and inpatient clinics, medical tests, radiology, and drugs. QC also offers training for the nurses, laboratory and radiology technicians, and pharmacist assistants. Doctors and specialists usually refuse to go to these distant places, which is why this training is very important. It helps prepare a qualified medical staff which can offer the patients the needed services. The inhabitants of these areas turn to warlocks who tend to deceive the families and trick them. They make use of the patients’ willingness to cling to any thread of hope, and make them believe that magic can heal them. With QC’s help, however, the trained staff will offer all the services these patients need at a low cost. This way, they will protect the people from imposters, risks, and health complications.

Ongoing Development

Bangladesh is universally ranked as one of the most overpopulated areas. It has a population of 170,000,000 people; 1,100 persons per km. The universally acknowledged rate is around 44 persons per km. Furthermore, it lacks the resources and depends mainly on the agriculture sector. It is, thus, one of the poorest and neediest countries. Its orphans, widows and unprivileged – especially those living in distant areas – need basic services; this is what QC tries to cover.  

QC believes in its role in helping any person or place in need. It makes sure to implement qualitative and useful projects, to increase the number of beneficiaries, to fulfill its role in the social developmental process, and to positively affect people’s lives. As a result and after considering Bangladesh’s conditions, QC is doing its best to fulfill its part in the ongoing developmental process. It is doing so through helping increase production, raise the standards of living, and enhance the income of the neediest

You can donate to support such projects through the link: Click here

Arsel Al-Amal (Send Hope) Initiative Continues to Provide School Meals to the Deprived Students in the Middle East

Pizza Hut in Qatar inaugurated “Send Hope” initiative supported by QC to provide school meals to the deprived students in the Middle East by supporting school nutrition projects of the UN’s World Food Programme.

This initiative allows Pizza Hut’s costumers, in all of its branches, in Qatar to donate to ‘School Meals’ project the amount they want. The donation is added to the costumers’ bills. With each Qatari Riyal given, a child will receive a meal at school. These children will have a better future to aspire for.  

Last May, QC and WFP signed an agreement in WFP’s headquarter in Rome, Italy, to fight hunger and malnutrition, and to bolster food security worldwide. This strategic cooperation will strengthen the private sector’s role in the battle against these life-threatening challenges which threaten the lives of millions of people whether in the times of peace or conflict. These challenges also hinder the developmental efforts exerted in many countries.

Abdullah Al-Wardat, WFP’s representative and the Gulf’s Office Director, said, “We sincerely thank Pizza Hut for this great initiative which supports the Programme’s efforts to fight hunger and malnutrition by providing students with school meals in the Middle East. Our strategic cooperation with QC offers a chance to the Qatari private sector’s companies, which understand that fighting hunger and malnutrition is the primary element for their success and for the community’s stability. The companies also understand their moral duty towards the children and the country.”   

In a press release, Sterling Cos’ representative, Pizza Hut franchiser in Qatar, said, “It’s our pleasure to cooperate with QC to implement “Send Hope” initiative. We hope it would help support WFP’s efforts to give meals to more than 2,600,000 needy students in the Middle East. I hope this would bring hope to their hearts; I hope it makes their lives better. Education is essential to build a bright future, especially to those with a limited income.”

Mr. Jassim Al-Mansouri, QC’s Marketing Manager, expressed his gratitude to Pizza Hut for this initiative, and expressed his happiness with this cooperation to serve the school children.  He also showed his great trust in the companies of the private sector in Qatar and how sure he is that more companies will be involved in supporting such initiative. The private sector is known to be very generous and to have a sense of responsibility towards the needy communities around the world. Its efforts will stand as the practical application of the agreement which QC had signed with WFP. “Send Hope” is expected to be well received for its noble goals.

This cooperation between QC and WFP represents an opportunity for the private sector in Qatar to be more involved in supporting the fight against hunger by supporting QC’s and WFP’s campaigns for collecting financial and in-kind contributions according to the procedures of Human Appeal International. Companies are aware of the fact that by fighting hunger, ending malnutrition and bolstering food security, they can achieve success. They are also aware of the moral duty behind such battle.

• 8 hectares of potato were planted and 133 tons of potato were produced from which 320 families of farmers and laborers benefited
• The farmers of Northern Aleppo harvested 133 tons of potato thanks to QC’s ongoing relief aids whose purpose is to compensate for the food shortage inside Syria.  

 ‘Planting Potato’ project was able to contribute in achieving self-sufficiency for the conflict-affected inside Syria. The project provided the basic foodstuffs at good prices and with good quantities specially that the crisis has been going for long. It provided job opportunities for a number of workers in the field of agriculture so as to satisfy their daily needs and their families’. The project also aimed at making use of the landscapes in a good and useful way.

The implementation of this project took 10 months at a cost of 570,000. 8 hectares of potato were planted and 133 tons were produced. It provided jobs for 320 people.

Renting the Land

Since Syria is in desperate need for foodstuffs, QC made it a priority that 34% of its projects were dedicated for this purpose. It is impossible for anyone to live without food, especially the internally displaced Syrians.

 ‘Potato Planting’ project, implemented by Beyaz Eller (White Hands), is part of the developmental and food projects which aim at compensating for the shortage in foodstuffs from which the people of Syria suffer. It is also implemented to encourage the farmers to go on with farming and to reform arable lands. Fortunately, many people who are originally from this area or have been displaced to it are experienced in the field of agriculture.

Through this project, 8 hectares of enhanced potato were planted. Plus, a contract was signed with the farmers: QC would rent the land from the farmer and sign a cultivation contract with him; or sign a contract with another farmer who has experience in the field; furthermore, QC would secure irrigation water by using rented wells from the same land.

The engineers supervising these projects are experienced and well-acquainted with the environment of the area. Therefore, it is expected that these projects will result in providing wheat and potato at great prices and with good quantities so as to bridge the food gap in Syria.

Redent Control

In order to prevent any plant diseases and to safely grow crops, QC sprayed nitrogen fertilizers and used weed killers. As a result, the corps turned out really good.

Through this project, 50 hectares of enhanced wheat and potato were planted and the procedures of the implementation of the project were the same as the previous one.

Potato is usually planted in the northern countryside in two main seasons: spring (the most important season) from the 10th of February until the 10th of March; taking into consideration the type and the weather during the time of cultivation; and autumn from the 20th of July until the 20th of August. In comparison with autumn, spring produces twice the amount of crops, which means twice the production.

Wheat Cultivation

It is worth mentioning that QC had already implemented an agricultural project for the benefit of the residents of the countryside of Aleppo, Idlib and Al Sahel in Syria. This project led to the investment in 50 hectares for the cultivation of wheat and potato. It was implemented in cooperation with Beyaz Eller at a cost of 900,000 QR.

4,200,000 displaced Syrians and refugees benefited from QC’s projects, which were implemented at a cost of 205,000,000 QR from April 2011 until January 2015.

You can donate to support such projects through the link:  Click here

• 7,000 low-income workers benefited from the first market; the second market will be inaugurated on Friday 

As QC’s charity markets greatly developed, ‘Taif’ project is preparing for its second charity market on Friday in Barwa AlBaraha, in the Industrial Area.

This market is an application of the agreement already signed between QC’s ‘Taif’ and Barwa Company ‘Waseef’. 13,000 workers at Barwa Company benefited from the project. The first market received all the company’s workers who wished to buy their needs at nominal and suitable prices. It was held last year from the 25th of September until the 1st of October.

A Periodic Market

In this market, Taif, in-kind donation management, displays the in-kind donations it had already collected which include cloths, domestic appliances, machines, toys, electronic devices, cell phones and other basic needs. It helps the workers get everything they need at good prices.

This market is held periodically at Baraha in the Industrial Area. This market is considered to be the fruit of the already-signed agreement between QC and Waseef.

The Best Deed

Mr. Amer Al Besiri, Director of In-Kind Donations Management at ‘QC’s Taif’, said, “This charity market, which QC launched through its project ‘Taif’, is essential to what QC believes in. Low-income people are always on the top of our priority list. We always seek to change their lives to the better, and to make things easier for them. I stand here calling for all the workers at Barwa Company, come to the market. Buy whatever you need; we offer products at nominal prices. You should also know that by coming to the market and buying, you yourselves do charity work because all the revenues will be invested in other charity projects. We also highlight the fact that today it’s Barwa Company, but, God willing, in the future our markets will include a number of other institutions and companies. What we aspire for is that the largest number of workers, in general, and low-income ones, in particular, will benefit from our projects.”

He ended his speech stating that this market was a great development in ‘Taif’ project which normally holds charity markets for the public.

Exhibitions

The exhibitions and markets QC’s Taif holds are a great opportunity to help low-income people and to get funding for other charity projects. It’s a lot like catching two birds with one stone: more buyers means more charity work and more beneficiaries.  

Through its different exhibitions across the country, Taif offers different services; during Ramadan, for example, it’s always open to serve the low-income people and to address their needs.

‘Taif’ project offers 7 exhibitions and a charity market in which it displays clothes, mattresses, domestic appliances. In the Industrial Area only, there are 3 exhibitions: the Industrial exhibitions on street 48, on street 5, and on street 47.

There are also other markets in different areas across the country such as Sunbula Charity Exhibition in Thursday and Friday Market, Barwa Village exhibition in Barwa village, Mesaieed exhibition in Mesaieed city, Al Khor Exhibition in Al Khor city, and Weekly Charity Market in Aziziya  (Aspire Zone). All of these markets are always held except for the weekly market which is only held on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.