Major initiative to educate 400,000 Syria refugee kids

DOHA: Qatar yesterday launched a $100m initiative to provide education and training to 400,000 Syrian refugee children and youth in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey.
The five-year initiative ‘Qatar Upholding Education for Syrians’ Trust’ (QUEST) was launched by Qatar Development Bank (QDB) on sidelines of the 71st session of the UN General Assembly in New York.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs H E Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi announced the inauguration of QUEST during a ceremony held in the presence of high-ranking officials of UN organisations, ministers, NGO officials and civil society organisations.
It was launched in line with the framework of ‘No Lost Generation Initiative’; Syria Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP); and the Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan (3RP).
QUEST reflects Qatar’s keenness to continue supporting the Syrian refugees and promoting their rights.
In addition to Qatar Fund for Development, several Qatari charitable and humanitarian organisations are taking part in the initiative, such as Education Above All; Sheikh Thani Bin Abdullah Foundation for Humanitarian Services (RAF); Qatar Charity; Reach Out To Asia (ROTA) and Silatech.
Al Muraikhi said the initiative aims at ensuring that children and young people who have suffered due to the Syrian crisis, are able to get necessary education and skills that would enable them to move to formal education and find good jobs.
Khalifa bin Jassim Al Kuwari, Director-General, QDB, said that investment in education is the first way in the return of normal life to Syria and the cornerstone of its future and reconstruction.
Al Kuwari also said that the main objective of the bank is to achieve comprehensive and sustainable development, in collaboration with all partners and friends around the world such as United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef), United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.