A sharp young man with a bright smile and warm personality, Yosuf is enrolled in an English learning program. He’s eager to learn the language. At 23 he is much like the other enthusiastic students around him. Together they find themselves forming bonds beyond the classroom.

Yosuf is a part of the cleaning staff at the HBKU Residence Halls. He has been a student in the English Literacy Program since its inception in fall 2015.

“I knew enough English to make someone understand me,” he said. “But I wanted to learn more. It’s like having a voice to express yourself.”

The English Literacy Program is a student initiative, in which students help teach beginner and advance level English to the cleaning staff at the residence halls. It is conducted in partnership between HBKU’s Housing and Residence Life (HRL) and Reach Out to Asia (ROTA).

The program itself requires student volunteers to commit two hours per week in order to teach the cleaning staff basic English as well as build their confidence.

The Fall 2016 program began at the end of September and runs for eight consecutive weeks.

For Yosuf, the program helps in quenching his thirst for learning English, as well as creating a bond with both students and staff.

“I wanted to learn more,” he said. “In the program, we met students who were there to help us and we were opening up to them. It’s like we were helping each other.”

Arcelie is one of Yosuf’s friends. Even though they both come from vastly different countries, Yosuf from Kenya and Arcelie from Philippines, they were able to form a strong friendship through the program.

“I knew a little bit of English before I came,” she said. “I might do it again because I had fun with everyone together.”

The founder of this program is Kharisa Rachmasari, a student of Weil Cornell Medical College (WCMC).

“In the past I had worked with migrant workers in Abu Dhabi, teaching them healthy lifestyle,” she said. “So when I came here, I realized that this is another opportunity to help people.”

Rachmasari knew of this program being conducted in Cornell. She noticed that there were more volunteers than students in the university’s program, so she came up with a plan to relocate the resource.

Sabina Uzakova, a residence hall coordinator, said she was impressed by email that Rachmasari sent promoting the program in the fall of 2015.

“We had cricket matches and appreciation dinners for staff, but there was no formal giving-back. So I thought this was a wonderful idea,” she said.

ROTA’s program aims at helping learners master English language for work purposes. However, Uzakova and Rachmasari say they have added value to the program.

“What we’re adding to the program is that we’re helping them [the cleaning staff] build confidence, because it’s not just about learning the language, it’s about overcoming your shyness and speaking it as well,” said Uzakova.

All the enrolled are from different countries, working from six in the morning to 10 at night, said Uzakova, and these classes help them relax and enjoy each other’s company while building comradery and learning something new.

In the previous year, the program had a rocky start. However, problems such as lack of volunteers and staff turnover issues have now been resolved, considering the 29 volunteers and nearly 50 learners that have registered with the program this semester.

“We have also worked with Qatar Foundation Custodial Services to make sure that the learners should not worry about being away from work at class hours,” said Uzakova.

Uzakova also gives great importance to the friendships formed between the students and the staff. The staff often goes unnoticed by the students, rarely ever acknowledged by a wave, hello or a conversation. They are not noticed nor heard, she said.

“The number one thing we mention to our volunteers is that you need to get to know them as people – person to person. This is what they are missing. When they know we care about them as people they will engage, learn and have a great experience,” she explained.

Zaubash Shakir, a sophomore at Georgetown University in Qatar and a student volunteer, says she believes this is a significant way to give back to the community.

“You have so much to be grateful for, so why not share it with others?”