Qatargas workers stay connected via 'Home to Home'

The initiative, titled "Home to Home" which connects workers with their families in parts of the world where communications have yet to be established or are very expensive, works through volunteers who communicate with the workers' families in countries like India, Nepal, Turkey, Jordan and Egypt and convey to them news of their loved ones and back. A single project from Qatargas employs over 25,000 workers from more than 60 countries from across the world.

Ken Marnoch, Deputy Chief Operating Officer and Upstream Manager Qatargas 3 & 4, said:

"Qatargas always cares and shows concern for people working for the company - irrespective of whether they are employed by it or by its various contractors. "Home to Home" has been designed to help thousands of employees working on the Qatargas 3&4 project. We facilitate mutual communication between the workers and their families on a regular basis and on the joyous occasions as well as during challenging times."

He added: "The value of Home to Home really hit me at the end of last year, when one of our team member lost his young son in a car accident in the Philippines. Within 24 hours of his reaching home, I was able to talk to him personally in order to pass on the organisation's thoughts and prayers, and offer any support that we could give, knowing that we had a volunteer network in the Philippines there to support him and his family."

Karen Al Kharouf, the programme's founder and Incident and Injury-Free (IIF) supervisor, said: "Home to Home operates through a network of volunteers in workers' home countries. The volunteers themselves have family members working in Qatar. They are updated with the latest news and photographs from the projects. They then put all of the details into newsletters that are distributed to the families. The information flow is two-way as the volunteers keep the workers up-to-date with news of family and friends back home through social events and regular personal contacts."

Al Kharouf explained that the programme was kicked off in the Philippines in October 2008 with a lone volunteer who helped organise a "Meet and Greet" in a Manila hotel in which 40 families took part. This has now grown to 100 families. Within a few months of its launch, Home to Home has established a network of volunteers in India, Nepal, Jordan, Egypt and Turkey. Over 250 families are now part of the programme and Al Kharouf herself has met over 100 families personally.

Volunteers now even help videocam important events in families and share them with the workers as part of the programme. During auspicious occasions like Eid, Christmas and other religious festivities, special programmes are organised for family members of the workers. On one occasion, wives of a group of Turkish workers even took a weekend trip to Spain. There are monthly meetings for workers' families in some countries.

"We have also set up a Facebook entry for this initiative. Soon we will visit Indonesia and China to enhance the network and cover families of more workers," said Al Kharouf.

She added that the Home to Home programme provides resources and assistance during times of crisis. "It's great to share in the good news. But we are also there to assist the employees and his or her family with sensitive issues and ensure that the right people are involved to help in delicate situations," said Al Kharouf.