Community Impact Award 2018 for IVO

Times News Service

MUSCAT: As part of recognising and supporting individuals that create initiatives that impact the society positively, Knowledge Oman has awarded Mohammed Al Touqi of the International Volunteers Oman (IVO) initiative with the Best Community Impact Award 2018.

Founder of Knowledge Oman Tariq Al Barwani, along with President Khalfan Al Mahrazy, handed over the trophy and certificate at a recent meeting held to discuss further support to the initiative.

“Being awarded the Best Community Impact Award from Knowledge Oman is a huge achievement for me and the entire IVO team development. We aim to set up the best programmes abroad for Omanis to volunteer in Zanzibar, Tanzania, Mombasa and Kenya to help Omanis with volunteering abroad,” said Al Touqi.

IVO started as an idea to provide affordable programmes abroad for Omanis: graduates, job seekers/unemployed to utilise their time and share their education with disadvantaged communities abroad, as well as high school volunteering trips for international schools in Oman.

Al Touqi received guidance and support with his idea through Knowledge Oman’s Social Entrepreneurship Development Programme in 2016, where he was enrolled in a C3 Social Enterprise Accelerator. Al Touqi along with a volunteering team managed to run programmes in Zanzibar that included donations of school bags, tables and chairs to the needy, in addition to setting up Omani programmes for volunteers in Zanzibar.

“The goal of the award is to encourage bright individuals to launch innovative projects where they get the necessary coaching, advice and support needed to impact the society and country in a positive way. Al Touqi was a great example and we are honored to support him,” said Al Barwani.