Georgetown University: School of Foreign Service in Qatar

The concept of operating charitable student-run organizations and promoting community-based learning is no new phenomenon at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar (SFS-Qatar). Yet students are doing away with the traditional top-down methods of charity service, and introducing a hands-on approach that marks a clear shift in the organization of altruistic clubs. It is this originality and pioneering spirit in the founding of the Hoya Hope Club that makes the organization a fresh development in its own right.

Established for the “betterment of the community and the advancement of social justice,” the club is the brainchild of Fay Al Romaihi (SFS ’12) with the close support of Ossob Mohamud (SFS ’12) and Bashayer Al Ali (SFS ’12). The girls worked together to set the club apart with its unique interpretation and ethos of community service; one encapsulating a comprehensive set of diverse initiatives, benefactors and objectives.

Far from being tied down to a narrow mission, the club prides itself on a wide-ranging constitution that facilitates the kind of flexibility and malleability sought after by the club’s founders. “We want to be able to help different communities in need through a composite of different activities…to reach out to those who need immediate relief…and this of course is constantly changing,” Ossob explained.

The very inspiration behind the establishment of the Hoya Hope Club was the lack of a student-organization with such a comprehensive mission; one that can view the idea and practical realization of community service through a multifaceted lens. This is particularly innovative given the traditional nature of involvement in the region, which involves monetary donations rather than traditional volunteerism. “We want everyone to get involved from start to finish…to interact with the beneficiaries and contribute to the process that transforms an idea on paper into a practical reality,” Bashayer said.

During the initial stages of starting up HHC and as part of its greater research to learn and understand the circumstances unique to Qatar, the group visited various charitable organisations in Qatar such as Shafallah Center and Qatar Red Crescent, in an attempt to gather helpful ideas and information to better execute the club’s mission. Now in a position to compare and contrast the main discrepancies between HHC and others in the macrocosmic industry, Ossob pointed out the nature of what she coins their distinguished “human-run organisation.” In light of the Council’s disappointing experience with organizational bureaucracy and ineffective communication lines, HHC is determined to ensure a workable, flexible and efficient structure where connecting with and recruiting volunteers will be a central objective.

The club is still in its early days, but it has already seen success. It launched the HOPE drive during the past month of Ramadan; a three-pronged drive aimed at collecting food, clothing and hygienic materials for people who contribute significantly to Qatari society. This proved a successful initiative, having targeted a wide array of people in the community with the help of many students, staff and faculty.

Yet the implementation of such a program and the realization of the club’s vision as a whole has not sailed its course unchallenged. Ossob emphasized the “novelty value” in the type of involvement demanded from the students in the HOPE drive. Delayed deliveries and a lax commitment to schedules are examples or by-products of transitioning into this hands-on notion of community service. Bashayer stated that this is a key challenge for the Hoya Hope Club, highlighting the “need to raise awareness so that students can really commit to allocated tasks and get involved in the operational elements consistently.” An interesting and compounding factor to this situation is the SFS-Qatar campus’s distinctive configuration, where only 30% of students reside in the dormitories. “This makes it harder to get people together to plan and brainstorm and then eventually put things together,” said Ossob.

In an attempt to address such issues and to pave the way to a successful implementation of the club’s goals, the students are planning to invest in a variety of internal educational schemes to raise awareness, motivate the students and to integrate them within a co-curricular learning environment. Creative ideas range from bringing in guest speakers to holding film-screenings and launching advertising campaigns. The idea then is to reach out to the students by emphasising the notion of community, and to subsequently join forces and extend the student body’s reach to the greater Qatari community.

As regards the club’s prospects, the club’s leadership is interested in building partnerships with other related organisations so as to share resources and expertise, in order to provide improved and enhanced community service programs. Fay talked about a number of different programs being prepared for next semester, including a cricket tournament and a Bollywood movie-night with the LAS SFS-Qatar workers. “Community service is about having an opportunity to really immerse oneself in the moment. We hope to raise awareness about the unlimited benefits that community service can provide, on both a community as well as an individual level,” said Fay.