DOHA: President of Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) Yousef bin Ali Al Khater revealed that over the past five years, QRCS has implemented projects and provided aid in Asia with over QR666mn, from which around 26 million people in 23 Asian countries have benefited.
In his remarks to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Al Khater indicated that QRCS is focusing its efforts on Asia, given the frequent natural disasters that various Asian countries suffer from, such as hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, landslides, monsoon rains, and severe cold waves.
He said that among the Asian regions that QRCS focuses on in its work are the countries of South and Southeast Asia, such as Nepal, the Philippines, and Bangladesh, where QRCS has provided aid to more than 5 million people since 2017 with more than QR76mn.
In this context, he said that the QRCS's interventions include various forms of assistance needed by those affected by conflicts and disasters, such as health aid, shelter, distribution of food and non-food items, securing drinking water and sanitation, supporting livelihoods, and rebuilding family ties.
Regarding the impact that such projects have had on the targeted communities in Asia, Al Khater stressed that QRCS is always one of the first initiators in responding to disasters and crises by activating the Emergency Information Management Center and sending trained relief teams to affected areas.
He indicated that based on the assessment of urgent needs and coordination with fellow national societies in the targeted countries, aid is being provided in the most important life-saving areas, regions, and communities most in need.
He pointed out that this work methodology helped make a real difference in the lives of displaced people and refugees, alleviate their suffering, and move them from the stage of early recovery to development and reconstruction.
Regarding the contribution of these development and charitable projects to enhancing communication and interdependence between the Qatari people and the beneficiary communities, he stressed that the QRCS has gained great trust over the years among partner agencies and beneficiary communities alike, thanks to its strategy based on neutrality and humanity, as well as the competence, professionalism, and ethics of its staff.
Concluding his remarks to QNA, Al Khater stressed that as the first voluntary humanitarian organization in Qatar, QRCS works to serve people wherever they are without bias or discrimination by implementing hundreds of annual humanitarian projects and interventions in various areas worldwide.