DOHA: Reach Out To Asia (Rota) and Qatar Academy (QA) recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to set up a computer refurbishing initiative at the academy.
It was signed by Mohammed Jassim Al Naama, Rota acting Executive Director and Senior Management Representative, and Dr Eric Sands, QA Director.
It builds upon Rota’s Computer Refurbishing initiative started last year to support QA’s programme on computer refurbishing for its ‘Laptops for Workers’ drive. Cooperation effectively started in February 2014. QA students participated in an introduction session to Computer Refurbishing by Rota, visited Rota Computer Refurbishing Lab and started refurbishing QA laptops following QA-designed methodology.
“The Rota Computer Refurbishing Project has always focused on the positive impact of modern technology and quality education on students’ lives. Today, we are delighted to sign this agreement to help set up a new initiative in line with Rota’s drive at QA,” said Al Naama.
“This Rota-QA partnership will provide an incredible opportunity for students to utilise their technical potential to reach out to the underprivileged and deserving workers by offering them IT as a tool to create a better future,” he added.
As QA regularly buys new computer equipment for students and staff, the agreement supports the recycling and refurbishing of QA disused laptops, to be donated to migrant workers. It is expected that some 640 laptops will be refurbished and distributed this year. “The agreement reiterates our belief in giving importance to the sense of community, developing community awareness and concern, and skills needed to make an effective contribution to society,” said Dr Sands.
“When our employees are better educated and better connected to the world, including their homes and families, their well-being is enhanced, their job satisfaction improved, their attention to what they are doing deepened and finally, their pride on working in Doha, especially QF, is greater,” he added. Rota with its expertise in setting up computer refurbishing initiatives, will support QA as it creates its own computer refurbishing lab, triage zone, inventory and asset management. QA will impart training in the computer lab to refurbish, repair, test and prepare computers for distribution. The Peninsula
