Qatar Charity

Qatar Charity
قطر الخيرية (Arabic)
Founded at Qatar
Type NGO
Nonprofit organization
Headquarters Qatar
Region
Global
Official language
Arabic
English
Urdu
Website https://www.qcharity.org/en/global
Formerly called
 Qatar Charitable Society

Once known as Qatar Charitable Society, Qatar Charity is one of the leading humanitarian and development non-governmental organizations in the Middle East. It was founded in 1992 in response to the thousands of children who were made orphans by the Afghanistan war and while orphans still remain a priority cause in the organization’s work with more than 150,000 sponsored orphans, it has now expanded its fields of action to include six humanitarian fields (shelter, emergency medical response, food aid, WASH and financial aid) and seven development fields (health, education, WASH, food security, financial empowerment, housing and social care).[1]

Between 2012 and 2017, Qatar Charity has spent over USD 1.3 Billion on humanitarian and development operations and projects which provided relief and assistance to more than 178 million people in over 50 countries.[2]These projects are carried out either directly by Qatar Charity through its 24 subsidiary offices around the world or through partnerships with international or local NGOs or IGOs.

In some of the world's most conflict-affected countries such as Yemen and Syria, Qatar Charity ranked among the top contributors (including governments) to humanitarian activities according to the OCHA-monitored Financial Tracking Service.[3]

Sheikh Hamad bin Nasser al-Thani is the current chairman of Qatar Charity.

Management

As of 2015, Qatar Charity is headed by its president, Hamad bin Nasser al-Thani,[4] and its CEO, Yousef bin Ahmed al-Kuwari.[5]

Major projects

Among QC’s major long-term projects are "Tayf," a charity program to collect in-kind donations,[6] and the annual "Iftar" project for the month of Ramadan, which aims to provide meals to thousands of fasting Muslims in targeted countries.[7] In July 2015, Vodafone Qatar and Qatar Charity created a partnership. Employees of Vodafone helped feed workers at camps in the Ras Laffan Industrial City with Iftar meals during Ramadan. Vodafone promised to donate $275 per hour that each employee volunteers. The donations will go to Qatar Charity's Family Sponsorship program. The program helps low-income families throughout the Gulf area.[8] Recently, Qatar Charity has also launched a website ("Travel and Aid") to attract participation in charitable work.[9]

Qatar Charity is at the forefront of relief work in the face of major natural disasters. This was the case in Nepal, where Qatar Charity distributed $100.000 in food, blankets, mattresses and other non-food items including hygiene kits.[10] In Sierra Leone, the charity supported the purchase of vital equipment at an Ebola Treatment Center (ETC) in Lunsar.[11] It also played a part in the 2008–2009 Gaza Strip aid delivering around $140,000 worth of medical supplies. In other international efforts, it had raised around QAR 2 million as relief for the 2010 Pakistan floods.[12]

In Niger, Qatar Charity is supporting local efforts to combat drought and improve the overall desperate conditions in the villages of Sowna and Aichign by funding the installation of modern solar-powered artesian wells.[13] In southern Mali, it opened shelters for displaced children. During 2014, Qatar Charity’s long-standing commitment to the people of Somalia was renewed as the charity provided QAR 25.5 million ($7 million) in life-saving relief, recovery and rehabilitation programs and activities.[14] QC launched a project to construct the village of 'Doha Alkhair' in Djibouti at an estimated cost of QAR 4 million in September 2015. One-hundred houses, basic amenities and public utilities were among the planned infrastructure.[15]

QC recently sent relief convoys to refugees in South Sudan, and it is currently funding programs in support of Syrian refugees in Lebanon.[16] As of October 2015, the organization has carried out four housing projects in Syria, during which it has repaired and built new villages.[17] The most notable housing project is Al Rayyan, an under-construction village designed to accommodate 7,000 people.[18] QC has also deployed around 400 pre-fabricated housing units in Syria.[17]

Moreover, the charity actively promotes engagement, employment and enterprise development for young people in the Arab world. One of the latest such efforts includes the renovation project of Al-Quds University at a cost of QAR 4.5 million.[19]

Partnerships and collaborations with UN agencies

1. OCHA Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

2011: MoU to establish a stand-by roster of specialized personnel and a team of technical specialists to field offices managed by OCHA[20]

2017: MoU to allocate a $500,000 dollar grant to support activities by OCHA in Syria[21]


2. UNHCHR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

2013: MoU to allocate a $2 million grant to the UNHCR emergency response in Rakhine State, Myanmar ($1,401,869 for temporary shelter construction and $467,290 in community kitchen infrastructure)

2017: MoU for a $5 million joint funding to support UNHCR programs in promoting protection and assistance to refugees and others persons falling under UNHCR mandate [22]

MoU to allocate a $500,000 grant from QC to the UNHCR emergency support to internally displaced people in Yemen[23]

MoU for a $300,000 funding from QC to the UNHCR's temporary shelter for the newly displaced in Mosul[24]

MoU for a $200,000 funding from QC to the UNHCR's life saving referral healthcare for Syrian Refugees in Lebanon

MoU for a $500,000 funding from QC to the UNHCR's provision of shelter support to the internally displaced persons in Myanmar

MoU for a $955,167 funding from QC to the UNHCR's provision emergency shelters for Iraqi displaced persons

MoU for a $2,000,000 funding from QC to the UNHCR's operating budget of 2 community centers for the provision of protection services and assistance ($800,000), the operating budget of two primary healthcare clinics ($360,000), and the provision of street lighting infrastructure ($700,000) in Aleppo, Syria.

2018 : MoU for a $9,630,000 grant from QC to the UNHCR for the reintegration and livelihood support to the refugees, the IDPs, returnees and hosting communities in Somalia[25]

MoU for a $2,387,304 grant provided by Qatar Fund For Development to the UNHCR for disaster risk reduction in Bangladesh

MoU for a $6,440,951 grant provided by QC to the UNHCR for disaster risk reduction and response ($4,940,276) and emergency support with basic needs and essential services ($1,500,675) for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.

3. UNRWA UNRWA

2013: Support to the UNRWA Health Programme in Gaza through $1 million funding[26]

4. WFP United Nations World Food Program

2015: MoU: Qatar Charity pledges to facilitate the official authorization of initiatives led by local companies and branches of multinationals operating in Qatar that seek to support WFP’s food assistance programmes in the Middle East and around the world, including cash contributions and fundraising and advocacy campaigns and events[27]

2017: MoU: Support to the humanitarian project in Syria "Food, Nutrition and Livelihood assistance to the People affected by the Crisis in Syria" through a $2 million funding from the Halab Labbeh fundraising campaign(1.023.850 beneficiaries)[28]

5. UNICEF United Nations Children's Emergency Fund

2013: MoU: Framework for cooperation between QC and UNICEF to strengthen humanitarian prevention and response[29]

2017: MoU: Enhance cooperation at syrian humanitarian crisis level through a $2 million from the Halab Labbeh fundraising campaign funding and implementing of humanitarian projects[30]

6. WHO World Health Organization

2017: MoU: Enhance cooperation at Syrian humanitarian crisis level through a $2 million funding from the Halab Labbeh fundraising campaign for the implementation of humanitarian projects

Programs

Initiatives inside Qatar

One Heart

Local documentary produced by the Qatar Charity Society and represented his idea by a group of Qatari youth excellence in the areas of advocacy and media and Message Board and poetic adventures charity and entertainment filmed in the turkey to the definition of the difficult circumstances experienced by the population there.[31]

Tayef

Tayef is a map-based web application that helps donors to connect people in need in Qatar.[32]

Global innovative aid programs

Shop And Aid

Shop And Aid is a program that helps individuals to donate for Qatar Charity works by buying several products from the internet and the profit will go to Qatar Charity efforts.[33]

Dal ala alkheer

Dal ala alkheer is a program where individuals can share different cases over the internet from the organization website and then win points as a reward. the program aim is to help individuals to donate to the organization without spending any money [34][35] The name of the program means "the one who tells about good" it was taken from a quote for prophet Muhmmed That say "God reward the one who tells others about good the same reward as the one who actually made it".

Travel And Aid

Travel And Aid is a booking website for flights and hotels that help individuals and organization to book flights and hotels and donate to the organization with the broker fee for each booking.[36]

Cooperation with other charities

As one of the leading Gulf-origin nongovernmental organizations, Qatar Charity has made many partnerships with many of the lead charities in the world.

Cooperation with Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation against polio

in 2013 Qatar Charity signed an agreement with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to raise funds in support of a six-year plan backed by the World Health Organization to eradicate polio globally.[37]

Cooperation with Vodafone

Qatar Charity signed a partnership agreement with Vodafone in August 2010 to create and implement charitable and socially beneficial initiatives.[38]

Awards and recognition

1997: Accredited in Special Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council ECOSOC[39]

2004: Observer membership at International Organization for Migration IOM[40]

2008: Won Voluntary Award as "best organization" – Qatar[41]

2009: Certificate of appreciation at Dubai International Humanitarian Aid & Development Conference & Exhibition DIHAD – Dubai, UAE[41]

2010: Certificate of Honor from Ajman Ruler – Ajman, UAE[41]

2011: Won 3rd prize at Sheikh Fahad Al Ahmad Al Sabah International Award for Charitable Work – Kuwait[42]

2012: Award of Pioneering Projects in the social work category from the GCC Council of Ministers of Social Affairs- Saudi Arabia[43]

2013: Sicily International Prize – Italy[44]

2014: Excellence Reward for Orphans' care in the GCC Countries (KAFEL) by the Regional Network for Social Responsibility – Bahrein[45]

2015: Won Sanabel Award for Community Responsibility in Orphan Care Institutions of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for the category of Community Initiatives in the Field of Orphan Care at the GCC level- Bahrain[46]

Best Smart Applications' award – Kuwait

2016: Won 1st prize at the Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND) for its pioneering development projects in Saudi Arabia and for its project in Sudan: 'Promoting Voluntary Return and Peace Building in Darfur' – Switzerland[47]

2 gold medals for the 'Safari Charity' Program produced by QC at Al Haytham Arab Media Awards instituted by the United Arab Media Council (UAMC) of Jordan

5 awards at the Bahrain Technical Innovation Conference in Bahrain

2017: Membership at Start Network – United Kingdom[48]

Best Charitable Organization Arab Best – Morocco[49]

UK ISO27001 Security Certification – United Kingdom[50]

2018 : Won "Change Maker Award" at Aid & Trade – London United Kingdom[51]

2013, 2014, 2015, 2017 : Ranked in the top 10 NGOs for humanitarian work in Syria, Palestine and Somalia. The ranking was reported by the Financial Tracking Service (FTS) managed by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).[52]

International standards compliance

Qatar Charity operates according to a set of internally developed standards but is also fully compliant with international codes of conduct and security. Qatar Charity is a signatory of the code of conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and NGOs for disaster relief[53]. Qatar Charity also uses the Sphere Project Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response and ensures their implementation in its operations.[54] Lastly, Qatar Charity has implemented quality standards that enabled it to obtain ISO / IEC 27001, a certification from the Bureau Veritas Certification Holding SAS, which is specialized in audit and international certification services.[55]

Allegations of financing terrorism

On February 11, 2015, Sudan Tribune reported controversial statements by Yahia Sadam, an official of the Minni Minnawi Sudanese liberation movement who accused Qatar of endorsing the genocide perpetrated by Sudanese militiamen in Darfur by funneling money though the Sudanese branch of Qatar Charity, active in Darfur since 2010.[56][57][58] Sadam claimed that Qatar Charity, which had purportedly signed a cooperation agreement with the Sudanese troops, was "building housing complexes in remote and isolated areas to harbor and train extremist groups."[56][58] Those camps are believed to be hosting ISIS fighters, a concern voiced by attendees from the intelligence community at a March 2015 event at the United States Institute for Peace.[56][59]

Cables leaked through WikiLeaks show that Qatar Charity was an organization of concern to the U.S. Government for “its suspect activities abroad and reported links with extremists” and its “intent and willingness to provide financial support to terrorist organizations willing to attack US persons or interests.” [60] These cables were created in 2009, years before Al-Kuwari became CEO of Qatar Charity but controversies surrounding Qatar Charity have persisted under Al-Kuwari’s leadership. While Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and other countries in the region designated Qatar Charity as a terrorist organization along with a dozen organizations in the aftermath of the blockade imposed on Qatar in June 2017, the United Nations continues to work with Qatar Charity.[61] It is worth noting that Qatar Charity had won numerous Saudi Arabian awards just months before the feud, among which the 1st prize at the Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND) for its project in Sudan: 'Promoting Voluntary Return and Peace Building in Darfur' [62]

In 2013, while Al-Kuwari was CEO of Qatar Charity, a Washington Institute for Near East Policy report emerged that Qatar Charity assistance had made its way to the Syrian Islamic Front, an umbrella group of powerful jihadist organizations operating in the Syrian Civil War.[63] The Qatar Charity logo reportedly appeared in the video showing Syrian Islamic Front affiliates distributing the Qatar Charity-labelled aid.[64] In 2013, Iranian news agency FARS reported that Qatar had wired $5 billion to Syrian rebel groups through Qatar Charity.[65]

Qatar Charity has also been widely criticized for serving as a tool of the Qatari government in spreading its influence under Al-Kuwari’s leadership. In May 2016, Hamad bin Nasser al-Thani, a member of the Qatari royal family, and Yusuf Ahmed Al-Kuwari traveled to Italy, where Qatar Charity reportedly donated 25 million euros over three years for the construction of mosques and Islamic centers.[66] These donations led to questions over how religious instruction will be implemented in the religious centers.[67] In 2016, Italian Senator Giacomo Stucchi sent a petition to the Italian government to investigate the sources of the funds from Qatar Charity used to finance a project in Northern Italy due to concerns about Qatar Charity's reputation and activities.

References

  1. ↑ https://www.qcharity.org/en/qa/home/about
  2. ↑ https://www.qcharity.org/en/qa/ouroffices
  3. ↑ https://fts.unocha.org/countries/248/flows/2016?f%5B0%5D=destinationPlanIdName%3A%21&order=directional_property&sort=asc
  4. ↑ "Qatar Charity opens office to oversee projects in Europe". Gulf Times. 7 June 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  5. ↑ "Qatar Charity Haj campaign takes off". Gulf Times. 18 September 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  6. ↑ "الرئيسية". www.qcharity.org. Retrieved 2015-07-09.
  7. ↑ "Qatar Charity Launches its Annual Iftar Project across the World". Qatar Charity. 11 June 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  8. ↑ "Vodafone and Charity Qatar team to deliver Ramadan meals". Gulf News Journal. 8 July 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  9. ↑ "QC launches Travel and Aid website". Qatar Charity. 17 June 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  10. ↑ Kovessy, Peter (7 May 2015). "Qatar relief workers arrive in Nepal, extend mission to three months". Doha News. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  11. ↑ "Qatar Charity Steps up Efforts to Help Fight Ebola in Sierra Leone". Qatar Charity. 13 June 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  12. ↑ "Qatar Charity Pakistan". Qatar Charity Pakistan. Qatar Charity. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
  13. ↑ "Qatar Charity is Combatting Drought Via Solar Power Artesian Water Wells and Establishing Community-Managed Health Services in Niger". Retrieved 2015-07-09.
  14. ↑ "Qatar Charity Somalia: Active in Life Saving Relief and Longer-Term Recovery". Retrieved 2015-07-09.
  15. ↑ "Djibouti PM lays foundation stone for Doha Alkhair village". The Peninsula Qatar. 22 September 2015. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  16. ↑ "QC water project offers lifeline to Syrian refugees in Lebanon". Retrieved 2015-07-09.
  17. 1 2 "Qatar Charity rebuilds Syrian village battered in war". The Peninsula. 5 October 2015. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  18. ↑ "$1.5bn Qatari aid for Syrians since uprising". The Peninsula. 20 September 2015. Archived from the original on 10 August 2016. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
  19. ↑ "Qatar Charity to rebuild Palestinian university". Gulf Times. Gulf Publishing & Printing Co. Archived from the original (News article) on 6 May 2012.
  20. ↑ https://www.unocha.org/middle-east-and-north-africa-romena/qatar
  21. ↑ https://fts.unocha.org/appeals/550/projects?order=project_property_2&sort=asc
  22. ↑ http://www.unhcr.org/uk/news/press/2017/10/59d37da24/unhcr-qatar-charity-formalize-cooperation-agreement-support-global-refugee.html
  23. ↑ http://www.unhcr.org/uk/news/press/2017/10/59d37da24/unhcr-qatar-charity-formalize-cooperation-agreement-support-global-refugee.html
  24. ↑ https://reliefweb.int/report/syrian-arab-republic/qatar-charity-and-unhcr-extend-lifeline-30000-syrian-refugee-families
  25. ↑ http://www.unhcr.org/uk/news/press/2018/7/5b4618414/qatar-charity-unhcr-extend-lifeline-30000-syrian-refugee-families.html
  26. ↑ https://www.unrwa.org/newsroom/press-releases/qatar-charity-donates-us1-million-palestine-refugees-gaza
  27. ↑ https://www.wfp.org/news/news-release/qatar-charity-and-wfp-join-forces-engage-private-sector-fight-against-hunger
  28. ↑ https://reliefweb.int/report/world/partnership-agreements-between-qatar-charity-and-un-organizations-total-value-28
  29. ↑ https://www.gulf-times.com/story/351473/Unicef-signs-MoU-with-Qatar-Charity
  30. ↑ https://www.unicef.org/about/annualreport/files/Gulf_Area_Subregional_Programme_2017_COAR.PDF
  31. ↑ https://www.qcharity.org/en/global/programs?storytypeid=14
  32. ↑ "Tayef – Qatar Charity". www.qcharity.org. Retrieved 2016-06-24.
  33. ↑ "About – Shop And Aid". shopandaid.com. Retrieved 2016-06-24.
  34. ↑ "Dal ala alkheer". Retrieved 2016-06-24.
  35. ↑ "Donate to charity without spending money | arab.org". 2016-06-06. Retrieved 2016-06-24.
  36. ↑ "Travel and Aid – Book cheap flights & hotels for charity". www.travelandaid.com. Retrieved 2016-06-24.
  37. ↑ "Qatar Charity joins Bill Gates in fight against polio – Doha News". Doha News. 2013-04-24. Retrieved 2016-05-25.
  38. ↑ "Vodafone Qatar | Vodafone Qatar and Qatar Charity Sign Partnership Agreement | vodafone.qa". www.vodafone.qa. Retrieved 2016-06-24.
  39. ↑ http://www.theworldfolio.com/company/qatar-charity/1442/
  40. ↑ https://www.iom.int/sites/default/files/about-iom/members_observers_en.pdf
  41. 1 2 3 https://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/19/06/2017/Qatar-Charity-wins-dozens-of-GCC-international-awards
  42. ↑ http://www.medadcenter.com/investigations/303
  43. ↑ http://www.qatar-tribune.com/news-details/id/71189
  44. ↑ http://www.qcharity.org.pk/downloads/Qatar-Charity.pdf
  45. ↑ https://direct-aid.org/cms/en/direct-aid-society-wins-the-excellence-reward-for-caring-the-orphans/
  46. ↑ http://www.qatar-tribune.com/PrintNews.aspx?id=71189
  47. ↑ http://agfund.org/first-category-prize-2016/
  48. ↑ https://startnetwork.org/member/qatar-charity
  49. ↑ https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/10/qatar-crisis-developments-october-21-171022153053754.html
  50. ↑ https://www.qcharity.org/en/qa/news/details/12981
  51. ↑ http://www.oananews.org/content/news/general/aid-trade-conference-honours-qatar-charity-change-maker-award
  52. ↑ https://fts.unocha.org/countries/218/summary/2017
  53. ↑ https://www.ifrc.org/Global/Documents/Secretariat/Copy%20of%20Code%20of%20Conduct%20UPDATED_January%202017.pdf
  54. ↑ https://ops.unocha.org/Reports/daily/CAPProjectSheet_526_110478_2018910.pdf
  55. ↑ http://www.qatar-tribune.com/Latest-News/qc-receives-iso-certification
  56. 1 2 3 "Qatar Charity, Pioneer and Master of Terror Finance | Consortium Against Terrorist Finance". Stopterrorfinance.org. Retrieved 2016-09-04.
  57. ↑ "Qatar Charity Launches Massive Development Project in Darfur – Sudan | ReliefWeb". Reliefweb.int. 2010-06-22. Retrieved 2016-09-04.
  58. 1 2 "Darfur rebels accuse Qatar of supporting government military campaign – Sudan Tribune: Plural news and views on Sudan". Sudan Tribune. Retrieved 2016-09-04.
  59. ↑ "JEM conduct week long visit to Washington DC for US Gov meetings". The Justice and Equality Movement for Sudan. March 21, 2015. Archived from the original on April 7, 2015.
  60. ↑ "QATAR COMMITS USD 40 MILLION FOR UN OPERATIONS IN GAZA". WikiLeaks. 12 May 2009. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  61. ↑ "UN: We are not bound by Saudi Arabia's 'terror list'". Al Jazeera News. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  62. ↑ http://agfund.org/first-category-prize-2016/
  63. ↑ "Uncharitable Organizations". Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Retrieved 2017-01-05.
  64. ↑ "Qatar Charity, Pioneer and Master of Terror Finance". Retrieved 2017-01-05.
  65. ↑ "Farsnews". en.farsnews.com. Retrieved 2017-01-05.
  66. ↑ "Qatari Donors Are Buying a Say in Italy's Islam". Retrieved 2017-01-05.
  67. ↑ "Milioni di euro dal Qatar per moschee e scuole coraniche". www.lanuovabq.it. Retrieved 2017-01-05.
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