QRCS, UK Embassy To Support Mental Health Of Palestinian Evacuees

(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Victor Bolorunduro | The Peninsula

Doha, Qatar: Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) and the British Embassy in Qatar formalised a cooperation agreement yesterday to support the three-month Psychosocial Support Project for Palestinian families hosted in Qatar, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).

The agreement aims to provide £80,000 to improve mental health services for Palestinian evacuees in Doha, in light of the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The project encompasses a variety of community-based Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) initiatives and is part of H H the Amir's commitment to assist 1,500 injured individuals from Gaza, reflecting Qatar's dedication to aiding victims of war and disasters in many countries.

The signing ceremony was graced by the presence of the Minister of State for International Cooperation at MoFA H E Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad, along with her delegation, the UK Ambassador to Qatar H E Neerav Patel, President of QRCS Yousef bin Ali Al Khater, and several department heads.

The agreement was signed by Secretary-General of QRCS Faisal Mohamed Al Emadi, and the Deputy UK Ambassador to Qatar Duncan Hill. Following the signing of the agreement, the Minister of State for International Cooperation at MoFA stated,“The State of Qatar has always been contributing to all the efforts/events meant to address humanitarian crises and development causes. Humanitarian and diplomatic arenas are strongly interconnected. They go hand in hand to strengthen bilateral relations among governments and humanitarian/diplomatic organisations. This helps promote humanitarianism and enhance outreach to crisis and disaster zones”.

“Under the patronage of MoFA, this agreement between QRCS and the British Embassy to implement the psychosocial support project for Palestinian families hosted in Qatar comes in that context. These humanitarian efforts of both parties are highly valued,” she added.

While welcoming the Minister of State, Al Khater praised her continuous humanitarian efforts to stand by the Palestinian guests of Qatar, as manifested in her interest in attending the agreement signing ceremony in person.

He also thanked the British Embassy in Doha for its support for the project, which helped alleviate the psychological impact of war on affected people, especially vulnerable groups such as women and children.

The QRCS President emphasised the unwavering solidarity from Qatari government and organisations with the people of Gaza, giving them every possible form of support to survive the current tragedy.

He said,“QRCS has always been committed to its humanitarian and fraternal responsibility towards our Palestinian brothers and sisters,” said Al Khater.“We have representation offices and field personnel in Gaza and the West Bank, as well as PSS personnel in Doha, working since day one to take care of the Palestinian families in the country. This agreement would make these services available for a longer time, thus ensuring the well-being, safety, and mental health of the injured people and their families”.

Patel said,“This is an important collaboration with MoFA and QRCS to support their invaluable efforts in the provision of critical mental health services for Palestinians in Qatar. We believe in this partnership's transformative potential.” The project serves as a psychological and social enrichment for the beneficiaries, through community engagement; group discussions; mental health consultations; sports and exercising activities (e.g., football and volleyball); handicrafts (e.g., sewing, colouring, and henna painting); and educational, informative, and recreational events.

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