Qatar Katrina Fund

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Cost of the United States with devastating results. During a visit to the United States a few weeks after the storm, His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, pledged 100 million dollars on behalf of the People of Qatar to assist the victims of the hurricane.

The entirety of this gift, known as the "Qatar Katrina Fund," has now been committed to eighteen prominent local organizations for specific projects in the Gulf Coast region. H.E. Nasser Bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, then Qatar's Ambassador to the United States, led the effort to select the local partners with an emphasis on projects that provide health care, housing, and education assistance to the people most affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Since the storm, H.H. the Amir's gift on behalf of the People of Qatar has touched the lives of thousands of hurricane victims. Hospitals, universities, mosques and other facilities in Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana are being rebuilt by the gift. Visitors to the Gulf Coast are likely to see Qatar Katrina Fund markers, placed by local organizations in appreciation of the gift, throughout the region. In Washington, the Qatari Embassy has already received thousands of thank-you letters from victims of the hurricane who have been assisted by the Qatar Katrina Fund.

Thanks to the hard work of the local partners, the Qatar Katrina Fund is continuing to help families and communities in their recovery from this tragedy. The People of Qatar appreciate the opportunity to join in this historic rebuilding effort.