QC displays its water & sanitation projects at AidEx 2019 in Brussels
The body has brought safe water and sanitation facilities to 6,000,000 people in 44 countries and built more than 40,000 wells
QATAR Charity (QC) took part in the AidEx 2019, which was held recently in the Belgian capital Brussels. It was attended by more than 2,500 dignitaries representing 130 humanitarian organisations including UN agencies, the European Union, and international governmental and non-governmental organisations dealing with humanitarian aid and international development.
Qatar Charity’s delegation headed by its CEO ousuf bin Ahmed al Kuwari included Mohamed al Ghamdi, assistant CEO for Governance and Institutional Development Sector, Faisal Rashid al Fehaida, assistant CEO for International Operations and Partnerships Sector, and Ahmed al Rumaihi, Director of Relief and Partnerships.
“AidEx is now an important partner of Qatar Charity and we will continue to support the work that you do in bringing the international aid and development community together around real pressing challenges, said ousuf bin Ahmed al Kuwari, CEO of Qatar Charity during his opening remarks at the AidEx 2019.
“The theme this year, inclusiveness, is a key principle in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By adopting the 2030 agenda, the world has pledged to leave no one behind’. This sentence is at the core of what we do, and it is the goal of what we do,” Al Kuwari added.
“In order to make sure that no segments of the society are left behind, we have to change our approach to global change. Inclusion has to start from the design of humanitarian assistance to its implementation. If this approach does not change, we will miss out on our 2030 deadline to a better world,” Al Kuwari added noted.
“A lot has to be done at the policy-making level, but as NGOs, we can start by designing our programs around the needs of the underserved, the minorities and the most vulnerable. We have to ensure their full participation in the global advancement efforts,” al Kuwari urged.
During its participation in the AidEx exhibition, Qatar Charity showed its contribution to overcome the global water and sanitation crisis through interactive screens. By exhibiting Hand Pump’, which requires significant physical exertion, Qatar Charity shed light on the importance of water, highlighted the difficulties faced by many communities to get water, and attempted to garner support for water projects in an innovative way, as millions of women, girls and boys still use hand pump to get water across Africa and Asia.
isitors were given an opportunity to simulate pumping water and raise points according to the “quantity” of water they pumped in a determined period of time. These points will then be converted to donations made by Qatar Charity towards specific water projects. Reports of completion of these projects will be sent out to the visitors who have participated in the water challenge.
The visitors praised the “Water Challenge” idea, which contributed to drawing attention to the world’s water crisis and the suffering of millions of women and girls in fetching clean water to their homes.
Mohamed al Ghamdi, assistant CEO for Governance and Institutional Development Sector, Qatar Charity, Sandie Blanchet, director of the Unicef Office for Relations with EU Institutions, and RockayaAidara, policy advisor at WSSCC, spoke during a panel discussion.
The panel discussion explored how a gender-inclusive approach can be achieved in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). The speakers showcased relevant past experiences and projects linking WASH and gender equality.
“QC is always keen to design its programmes according to the needs of the entire community, including women, children, the elderly, and people with special needs,” said Mohamed al Ghamdi, assistant CEO for Governance Institutional Development Sector during the panel discussion.
“Women and girls are a key pillar in water management in developing countries, as women have a broader knowledge of water resources, including water location, quality, and storage and management methods,” al-Ghamdi, emphasized, adding that Qatar Charity is currently engaging women in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation stages of its projects.