17.2.1 Direct involvement in national government SDG policy development
17.2.2 Initiating and participating in cross-sectoral dialogue about the SDGs
17.2.3 Participating in international collaboration on gathering or measuring data for the SDGs
17.2.4 Reviewing comparative approaches and develop international best practice on tackling the SDGs
17.2.5 Collaboration with NGOs and/or businesses to tackle the SDGs
GUST Launches “GUST_Cares” Initiative
Kuwait City, 28 April 2021: GUST launched an initiative titled “GUST_Cares” which entailed distributing food boxes for those in need during the holy month of Ramadan. The campaign was launched at the start of the holy month and allowed for wider community participation, with staff members of OSL organized full day trips to certain areas of the country, carrying out the donations to the recipients. The overall goal is to distribute and donate 1000 boxes during the holy month of Ramadan.
Students, faculty, and staff GUST community members were encouraged to either bring in supplies and food which will be put into boxes, or to take a box home and donate it to their liking. The Office of Student Life, OSL, who took charge of this drive, provided a list of necessities and food items families might require as appropriate options to donate and place within the boxes. Student clubs also participated as they took a sizeable portion of the boxes and donated them, clubs involved included: The Technology Club, the Bayan Cultural Club, the Music Club, the Islamic Finance Club, and the Human Rights Club.
Head of the Office of Student Life, Aseel Abou Nemah said “An initiative such as GUST_Cares is a social responsibility from us as a university and reinforces community solidarity. Despite these difficult times this campaign also showcases our student body’s strong sense of responsibility and their passion towards volunteer work and community service. Showing compassion and lending a helping hand to those in need during the holy month of Ramadan is what matters and we hope this encourages others to do the same.”
The charity drive is still ongoing and open to the public to participate. Boxes are available for pickup from campus and instructions on how to donate can be found on official GUST social media accounts. Individuals can share their donations and box designs with the university or tag them on their own personal accounts with the use of the #GUST_Cares hashtag.
Distributing Food Baskets
We are happy in the month of goodness in cooperation with Al-Najaja Charitable Association with the project of distributing food baskets for the holy month of Ramadan, and we are honored to distribute them to our brothers and sisters from the disadvantaged families in Kuwait, all thanks to the members of the Islamic Financing Club and Al-Najaya Charitable Association for the effort made to make this charity project a success, and a special thanks to everyone who contributed and donated.
May Allah accept and reward
Education_Right_For_All
The Human Rights Club would like to thank everyone who contributed to the success of the campaign "Education_Right_For_All" to pay fees and support students who are unable to pay their tuition for the first semester.
We extend our heartfelt thanks and gratitude to the charity Nama for supporting and completing the campaign.
GUST makes a difference in Nepal
Students and staff from Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) joined forces with the Kuwait-based NGO, OXadventure, to undertake a two-week volunteer trip to Nepal between July 19 and August 2 as part of a university-sponsored internship. The goal of this trip was to help renovate a school building in Kathmandu, the Nepalese capital and conduct educational outreach. In addition to volunteering, the students had the opportunity to hike the Himalayan Mountains and visit remote communities.
During the trip, students visited six villages, giving them first-hand experience with some of Nepal’s traditions and culture. The interns and staff who accompanied them stayed in modest local guesthouses, executed demanding physical labor and developed teamwork skills. The intent was to have them experience life as the local Nepalese do while also helping the communities. Since the students were representatives from the Mass Communication and Media (MCM) major at GUST, they also prepared media materials and documented their activities with photos, videos, and journals.
Dr. Fahad Al-Sumait, Head of the Mass Communication and Media Department, commented, “We encourage our students to undertake trips like this every year because it helps build their character while also providing them with opportunities to practice various media skills. So it benefits everyone involved: the students, the university and most importantly the local communities in which they work.”
This trip is the third annual aid-work internship conducted by the MCM Department at GUST in partnership with OxAdventure, which is a local non-profit organization established by young Kuwaitis in 2013, with the aim of educating a younger generation about global citizenship and donating their time and energy to affected communities. The previous two trips had students build an orphanage for a school community in Bangalore, India and a community center with a computer-training lab in Sri Lanka.
GUST opens up with Layan and iGive
GUST student-run club iGive, collaborated with Layan, a media volunteer team from around the Gulf, who are specialized in covering the tragedy of Syrian refugees in Lebanon. Both groups are working together to raise awareness and collect donations in attempts to provide aid for the Syrian refugees and so they got together to tell their stories of what they saw, what they did and how it is important to reach out.
The main purpose is to educate individuals about the conditions in Syria, spread awareness about what is happening and encourage people to participate in whatever means they can whether it be engaging in the act of volunteering, helping spread awareness or even donating.
First, iGive share the story of Lulu Al-Shaheen, GUST Student and iGive Member who was nominated to join the Layan team on their trip to Lebanon. A small video was shared, where Lulu talks about what she saw, the hospitals and homes they visited and what she felt when she was there: “It became very clear to me that the people there needed more moral support than they did material support.”
Other members of the trip were there to share their stories, including Abdulkareem Al-Shatti, Fahad Al-Rahmani, Talal Al-Mattar and Wasan Al-Budaiyeh. All normal Kuwaiti citizens, living ordinary lives here in Kuwait, but all who were determined to go lending a helping hand and ended up being helped themselves, as they said. The team took turns speaking about their journey, the families they met, their need for someone to hear them out. They all mentioned how they were there to help, but from the hope they felt from the people there, it gave them hope in themselves.
The team members shared stories of the strength and hope of the refugees and urged the audience to help in any way they can, and that doesn’t necessarily mean money or to go there, but even a word – spreading awareness – is of utmost importance.
iGive is a GUST voluntary youth club that hosts and organizes activities in and out of university. It addresses topics that touch the students’ lives in order to increase their efficiency, productivity, and responsibility towards their community. It also aims to promote the principle of diversity and social responsibility.
GUST Supports Ministry of Health to Facilitate Quarantine Procedures
In solidarity with the Ministry of Health and in collaboration with the Kuwait Red Crescent Society, Ministry of Interior, and Ministry of Finance, GUST has provided its support and facilities to welcome community members to complete their quarantine procedures.
The initiative welcomed over 290 individuals who completed their 14-day quarantine at Al-Khiran on its campus to facilitate their final steps in the check-out process.
The launch of the initiative was attended by GUST BOT Chairman, Mr. Mohammad Al-Bahar, GUST President, Professor Walid Bouhamra, Maha Al-Barjas, Secretary General of Kuwait Red Crescent Society, and Brigadier Khaled Al-Kandari, Security Director of Hawalli, GUST Vice President for Professional Development and Community Services, Dr. Ahmad Al-Darbas, and GUST HR Director, Nawaf Al-Khalaf.
GUST has provided its campus facilities for as long as needed, and will stand with Kuwait and support the impressive MOH efforts to help flatten the curve and beat this pandemic.
