The volunteers from Qatar University and Indonesia’s Titian Foundation in the province of Yogyakarta.
DOHA: In collaboration with Qatar University (QU), Education Above All (EAA) Foundation, through its programme Reach Out to Asia (ROTA), led 18 student volunteers on a service learning trip to Indonesia from April 5 to 14.
In partnership with a local NGO called Titian Foundation, volunteers facilitated skills development workshops in a school in the village of Bayat in the Indonesian province of Yogyakarta in Central Java.
The Indonesia 2018 QU Trip built on the success of previous ROTA Volunteer Trips to Indonesia by providing student-led workshops and activities that help them develop their practical and physical skills, and engage in meaningful and sustainable service learning in a rural community.
During the nine-day trip, QU student volunteers facilitated workshops covering topics such as Computer Skills, Arabic Language, Environmental Awareness, and Sports Education.
Each workshop was planned, prepared and facilitated by the QU student volunteers and delivered to classes of around 30 students (9-12 year olds) at the SD Muhammadiyah PK in Bayat, Yogyakarta.
ROTA has organised almost 40 International Volunteer Trips over the last 10 years for volunteers from schools, universities and corporates in countries such as Indonesia, Cambodia, Nepal, Bangladesh and Tunisia.
“At ROTA, our International Volunteer Trips to areas in need form a key pillar of our mission to promote education and build a culture of volunteerism. This Indonesia 2018 Volunteer Trip in collaboration with QU is a perfect example of service learning.
“By putting the emphasis on volunteers transferring real skills that they themselves have learnt in their studies has long term benefits for both them and the local student beneficiaries. This approach is particularly effective in ensuring cross-cultural understanding and interpersonal communication as well as increasing self-awareness,” said Mohammed Saleh, National Programs Director at ROTA.
Khalifa Mohammed Al Yafie, Senior Volunteer Programme Specialist at the Volunteering and Community Service center at QU, said:
“At QU, we aim to provide innovative and collaborative learning opportunities through extracurricular non-academic and interactive activities that enrich and help promote planning, teamwork, effective communication and leadership skills.
