Qatar’s leading non-profit education and community development organisation Reach Out To Asia (Rota) has unveiled a slew of activities targeting the less-privileged during the month of Ramadan.

The campaign ‘Ramadan 2012 Project’ is being sponsored by oil and gas producer Occidental Petroleum of Qatar Ltd (Oxy Qatar) as well as by volunteers and community partners.

Rota volunteers have already been busy packing and distributing bulk grocery supplies of rice, oil, milk, flour and other basic food items to families in need.

Supported by its corporate partners, Rota volunteers will also renovate the homes of two families in need from July 22-August 2.

Both family homes will benefit from a house “makeover” including home maintenance, repainting and new furnishing.

Also, Rota will be hosting three community Iftar events during Ramadan with community-based institutions who work with children with special needs, elderly citizens and other vulnerable members of the community.

In a new Ramadan initiative for 2012, the Rota volunteer programme will be hosting a fund-raising Iftar event in Qatar Foundation on August 8 with senior management from its various partner organisations attending.

The fund-raising event will include a first of its kind Rota photo exhibition where framed pictures of Rota activities will be auctioned to raise funds for the organisation’s Non-Formal Education Project in Bangladesh.

Apart from building classrooms for the school in Bangladesh, it is expected that other facilities such as toilet and water works will be achieved through the funds raised.

Rota volunteers will also celebrate Garangao - a festival marked uniquely by children in the Gulf countries – with children at the Hamad Hospital’s Leukemia Centre on July 31 and with the Children’s Rehabilitation Centre on August 2.

Now a traditional event in its annual community development calendar, Rota introduced its first Ramadan project in 2008 and has so far helped 1,200 families and individuals in Qatar through the event.

Speaking at a media round-table yesterday, Rota executive director Essa al-Mannai said the Ramadan 2012 Project was a true manifestation of Rota’s social responsibilities and willingness to strengthen the bonds between different elements in society and particularly with disadvantaged families and those with special needs.

“The month of Ramadan is a blessing for the whole of mankind. Ramadan reminds people to think about poverty and hardship and reflect on how we can share resources with those people less fortunate than us. Together with our volunteers and partners, Rota will once again make a difference to disadvantaged communities in Qatar during Ramadan,” he said.

According to him more than 1,100 volunteers have been engaged with the organisation’s Ramadan activities since six years ago.

“At this very special time of the year, Oxy Qatar is honoured to be associated with the Rota 2012 Ramadan Project. We proudly support Rota’s wide range of community activities, which aim to improve the lives of the less fortunate,” Oxy Qatar president and general manager Steve Kelly said.

More information about Rota’s activities and events can be had at www.reachouttoasia.org or the Rota Facebook page at www.facebook.com/reachouttoasia.