Reach out to Asia launches campaign to rebuild education infrastructure in Bangladesh

ROTA was one of the first NGOs in the Gulf region to respond by donating $200,000 to the devastated people of Bangladesh after the killer cyclone wreaked havoc on the country. The donation was for UNICEF to address immediate educational relief operations in the aftermath of the disaster.

According to UNICEF, the current number of people affected stands at over 8.5 million, while more than 5000 schools have been damaged and with needs assessments ongoing these numbers threaten to grow.

ROTA has already received support from local groups in Qatar in support of this campaign. The funds generated through the campaign will be used to rehabilitate and repair the education infrastructure and be a part of the bigger picture in which over 2.5 million students have been left without a school.

The donation drive will get underway with the participation of educational institutions in Qatar, encouraging them to support the noble cause. The two-week campaign will help raise funds and awareness, and to get the people of Qatar involved in this cause of rebuilding and rehabilitating educational facilities in Bangladesh.

Lamis Sabra, Acting Programs Manager said:

"ROTA's primary focus is education and with the large-scale devastation of schools due to the cyclone, we spearheaded this campaign to help get education back on track in affected areas. This is a long term project that requires commitment and goodwill. The devastation in Bangladesh is enormous. We are looking forward to the generous support from the people in Qatar, with whom we wouldn't be able to do this."

David Burton, Volunteers Program Manager, added: "Cyclone Sidr was a devastating tragedy and we at ROTA are doing our utmost to help the people in getting their lives back to normal. I look forward to addressing the schools and working with them for the next couple of weeks. A large portion of our volunteers are students from the schools here in Qatar, and have first hand experience whilst on their many field trips to previously devastated areas. Their support for this campaign is invaluable."