Fifteen volunteers from Reach Out to Asia (Rota) have returned from an eight-day trip to Cambodia.
The trip was designed to provide support to the Cambodian community and learn more about how education shapes human development.
In collaboration with Rota’s Cambodian partner, the Monithapana Foundation, the volunteers visited Vihear Suork School in Kandal district and the Dubai Islamic School community, where several workshops were held.
The Rota volunteers facilitated the workshops, which were based on the needs expressed by Cambodian schoolteachers from local communities. In total, 100 teachers and students participated in the workshop series, which would, in turn, benefit more than 700 students.
Rota is a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF).
The programme exposed the volunteers to the challenging realities faced by their Cambodian beneficiaries. Supporting Rota’s mandate to facilitate meaningful service to address international community needs, the trip was also aligned with QF’s dedication to unlocking human potential, according to a statement.
As a mutually beneficial experience, the educational focus of the volunteer trip - which commenced on February 13 - strengthened the psychosocial skills and experiences of both Rota beneficiaries and the Qatar-based volunteers, the statement noted.
Essa al-Mannai, executive director, Rota, said: “This international experience will raise awareness among Rota’s volunteers about the importance of education in addressing local community needs and will inspire them to further engage in Qatar-based volunteering activities.”
Prior to their visit, the Rota volunteers were briefed on the organisation’s projects, education in Cambodia, the local history and culture and other
relevant information.
The briefings were part of Rota’s Model of International Volunteer Trips, which is based on eight years of experience in conducting “meaningful and impactful service learning experiences for hundreds of Qatar-based volunteers”.
Abdulla al-Kaabi, a Rota volunteer, said: “My trip to Cambodia reinforced my belief in the importance of supporting teachers and children to enable them to succeed.”