On Saturday 30, for the very first time, the school of Adghagh Ain Mersa, in the Middle Atlas Mountains, was transformed into a space of life and learning, and was equipped with innovative and interactive pedagogical material (maps, globes, games, skeletons, etc ).
More than 200 children from Adghagh participated in this unique event in their village. They learned to bypass their spatial isolation by locating themselves on maps, presenting their Amazigh and Arabic cultures, meeting youth from other countries, adopting environmentally friendly practices, and even learning astronomy!
Watch the video until the end:
Knowing that children in the Middle Atlas Mountains face a lot of difficulties in education (distance, lack of school support, linguistic barrier, spatial isolation) and rarely (if never) benefit from extracurricular activities, this initiative addressed the risk of school alienation, broadened children’s cultural, geographic, scientific horizons, and stimulated their creativity and imagination.
The “Discovery Day” is the second component of this initiative. From April 10th to 17th, ten youth from the same village got passports, visas, and traveled outside of the Ifrane area for the very first time! They participated in an exchange program in Norway, where they built new friendships and were introduced to another culture and education system.
This initiative was launched in the form of a citizen action by Lamia Bazir that aims to promote volunteering and social responsibility among youth.
Lamia Bazir came up with this project thanks to her friendship and consultation with the local women of the village. She also mobilized Joshua Cabell a peace corp volunteer who lived in the village, regional NGOs like AESVT, professors and students from Al Akhawayn University, volunteers from peacecorps, the school pedagogical corps, and friends.