Website, Doha Bank join hands for ‘common goal’

iLoveQatar.net (ILQ) and Doha Bank have concluded a pact to support each other in engaging with the local communities in Qatar. Marked as the first partnership of its kind in Qatar, the two organisations have joined hands for the common goal of ‘making Qatar a better place’. ILQ first started as a web resource and general guide to living in Qatar. It soon launched an open forum, where users were encouraged to share and support each other. “It has now become a reliable source for people searching for a comprehensive guide for living in Qatar, a trusted source for serious answers to new developments and occasions in the country, up to the minute news, and a community that is stretched over to thousands of followers on Twitter, almost 30,000 Facebook fans, and even with a spot on QF Radio. What makes ILQ special is that it is built around what the people want, giving them a voice and is practically run by the community as well. Profits generated from the website are spent on the community that helped them grow in the first place as well as support charitable causes.” Doha Bank said it believed that engaging with the online communities, including I Love Qatar’s base of tens of thousands of subscribers is important in order to educate them when it comes to the banking. This partnership serves Doha Bank and I Love Qatar equally for many reasons. Doha Bank will have an “additional station” to share its “greatest insights and developments”, which will certainly educate the community greatly, while I Love Qatar will have an addition to the family of facilities that will support its fan base and equally benefit them through offering the best in class access to great banking services. With a shared vision in place and on the unique occasion, Nabil Tabbara, Doha Bank executive manager (retail banking) said: “It all started when a young enthusiastic socially responsible gentleman stepped into our offices. It was a coincidence that what Doha Bank has always believed in and works towards, was reflected in the initiative behind I Love Qatar, and we are proud to endorse it and support it through this first-time partnership. As of today, Doha Bank will support I Love Qatar’s sincere initiatives by sponsoring the caring messages and events to our loyal customers too.” He said: “Doha Bank continues to find ways to engage with all communities in Qatar in a two-way communications, and we believe that this is where our strength lies. I Love Qatar certainly pleases our determination in interacting not only with Doha Bank customers but rather with all the people living in Qatar.” Both Khalifa Saleh al-Haroon, founder of iLoveQatar.net, and Bassam al-Ibrahim, co-founder of ILQ, regarded the partnership as a milestone to increasing ILQ’s reach. Al-Haroon said: “ILQ is built on the foundation of strong partnerships. We are so proud to partner up with Doha Bank. We have always been supportive of all of their community focuses and socially responsible initiatives. We have made a promise to the community that we would be doing some great things in Qatar and believe that Doha Bank can help us do that. I think people will be quite excited with what we have in store. “We will be giving users access to the latest events and news on Doha Bank’s ATM machines, special promotions, partnering up for more charitable causes, and more importantly, giving people more reasons to love Qatar.”