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CHARITIES
Every year, AIWCC donates money (and various items) to different charities.
Charities supported in 2008-2009:
AFAQ 2010 (training courses for disadvantaged young people in various skills, such as hairdressing, computers, kitchen and restaurant work): 30,000 Dh for 2 industrial ovens
AMARDEV (the rehabilitation of the visually impaired): 20,000Dh for a Braille dictionary for university students
AMES (primary school education and vocational training for the deaf and hard of hearing): 20,000 Dh for equipment/supplies
AMIS DES ECOLES (helps improve rural schools): 20,000 Dh for school supplies
ANAIS (school for intellectually challenged children): 20,000Dh for educational equipment
FORMATION PERMANENTE DES ADULTES (centre providing French and Arabic lessons for women): 20,000 DH for books
LIGUE MAROCAINE POUR LA PROTECTION DE L’ENFANCE (several centres for young children, adolescents and single mothers): 30,000 Dh towards equipment for their new centre in the disadvantaged district of Sidi Othman
OEUVRE DE LA GOUTTE DE LAIT (cares for premature and under nourished babies): 20,000 Dh to help purchase a NCPAP machine needed to assist premature babies with breathing
Descriptions of Charities
AFAQ 2010
The Association AFAQ 2010 was founded in 1997 by Ahmed Bougtya. He wanted to contribute something to his community so he rented a small apartment in a densely populated area of Casablanca . His first goal was to teach literacy to young maids and women who'd never been to school. Soon he was given some sewing machines by the Ministry of Labor so he combined sewing with the literacy classes. He and members of the association went door to door to find students and soon the premises were too small. AFAQ was lent a four storey building nearby and was able to start a real school with sections for Cooking, Hairdressing and Beauty, Languages, Computers and Restaurant Work. Younger children can use the main room for study after school as many live in cramped apartments with their big families. Another center was opened and then another. There are presently 4 centres, with 800 students (not all full-time). The students in these schools pay what they can (usually from $6 - $11 US per month) but over 1/3 pay nothing at all as they come from orphanages and associations for street children. In view of their educational level at entry, the students learn the rudiments of their trades and are able to find jobs where they can improve their skills. AFAQ keeps young people off the streets, gives them hope and a future. They take pride in their communities and in the opportunities they find here thanks to AFAQ 2010! Address: 4 Hay Salama 3 bloc, groupe 9 - 158 rue Ahmed Bikri - Derb Omar 3 ème étage Telephone: 022.59.64.13 / 022.44.28.76 - E-mail:
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AMARDEV
This recently formed association aims to encourage blind or visually impaired people to become full members of the community, by helping them compensate for their handicap. There are many ways of compensating for a visual handicap. For example, blind people can be trained to use specially equipped computers. (Among other things, the computer is fitted with a voice synthesizer so that the blind person can "hear" the screen, rather than see it.) Cash dispensers already have the keypad in Braille and some experiments have been done in Casablanca with "talking" cash dispensers (which are also helpful for illiterate people.) There are now specially adapted mobile phones. Braille is not as widely used in Morocco as it could be, so a lot needs to be done to teach Braille and then produce books in Braille.
AMARDEV has several ongoing projects which include: A games library. By playing, blind children develop their sense of touch (which will later help them learn Braille) and learn to orient themselves in space. Computer training. Computer "literacy" classes are provided for a number of blind people, using specially adapted computers. AMARDEV has signed an agreement with the University of Ain Chock in Casablanca, to provide computer training for about 9 blind students. It is planned to extend this program to other faculties when we have trained enough instructors. Support for blind children in mainstream education. Two children are being provided with support so that they can keep up with classes in normal schools. For more information, visit the Amardev web site: www.amardev.org
AMES
This is a school for deaf children. The director is very dedicated and works hard to improve the school. The school was begun in 1976 with 10 students and now has 308! The children come from various social categories, most of them from poor families. The association is financially supported by the Moroccan government, various associations, private people and the children’s parents. Thanks to the National Initiative for Human Development program, the school has been considerably enlarged since April 2007.
The school provides elementary education for the 7-12 age group, preceded by 3 years, for children from 4-7, in which they are taught communication skills. Fifteen top-grade computers have recently been added to the equipment, to help students communicate via visual aids.
At the separate Vocational Training Centre, older students take courses in hairdressing, sewing or shoe making.
AMIS DES ECOLES
This association began when a group of students from the Casablanca American School visited a Berber village in the valley of the Ait Bougmez, in Morocco’s High Atlas mountains. They noticed that there were schools that lacked the most fundamental necessities, the roofs were leaky, electricity non-existent, windows were broken and the walls dirty. School supplies for the students were meagre and the harsh weather conditions often hindered their attendance and hence their education. This experience led to the formation of the group Amis des Ecoles, made up of dedicated volunteers who frequently visit remote areas to improve conditions of schools and students alike. They aim to aid rural schools by direct support or by connecting them to aid networks already in place, to provide within the school a pleasant environment for students and teachers, to provide necessary supplies and materials for a normally functioning school. And of course, to provide all the children in the area access to educational opportunities. The International Alliance for Women has just awarded the president of the group, Amal Zniber, a special award honouring up to 100 women who have contributed to the economic empowerment of women. ANAIS ANAIS is an organization for children born with Down Syndrome and was started by the parents of these children 27 years ago in Casablanca. There are three separate locations for classes: the first has classrooms located in a regular state school and has classes for children 6-9 years, 10-12 and 14 and older with a total of 32 children. There are also classes for pre-school age children which are well equipped with enthusiastic staff. They teach reading, writing, maths, French and daily living skills. The aim is to enable these children to become integrated into normal life. Sessions run by the association help parents to understand how to manage their retarded children. The children stay all day at school and are provided with lunch which is prepared by students at the second location. The students here are aged 14-18 and in the morning work in a large kitchen preparing lunch for several schools. In the afternoons they have sports and academic activities. The third location houses 30 students and the main office of ANAIS. The association has a total of 130 pupils at the moment FORMATION PERMANENTE DES ADULTES This adult education centre is run by Franciscan nuns and is open to illiterate women of all ages. They spend the first two years learning Arabic and then can take up French if they wish. Mathematics is also taught. The women have 5 hours’ lessons a week spread out over 2 afternoons. Those who can afford it pay 50 Dh a month. Some of the teachers are volunteers, others get paid a small salary. Lawyers, doctors and psychologists come and talk to the women. Some of the women are housewives and others work as domestic helps. The centre is a place where women can meet and gain support and stimulation from each other. Several new courses are being introduced: a ‘communications’ group has started up for women who speak French well; drawing, story-telling and sophrology workshops are underway. The nun in charge would like to introduce computer skills. LIGUE MAROCAINE POUR LA PROTECTION DE L’ENFANCE The League runs a number of day centers where working mothers can leave their young children for the day, only paying a modest sum according to their wages. The League’s centre at Sidi Othman takes in unmarried mothers before their babies are born. When they are rejected by their families and society, they can take refuge here. They stay between 2 months and a year and are helped to become reconciled with their baby’s father and their families. These young mothers are given basic training in baby-care and hygiene, literacy, cooking, embroidery and sewing to help them fend for themselves when they leave the center. The League also runs a Club for school-age children, where they can come and study, read the books in the library and use the computers (the software is bilingual, in Arabic and French). These children usually come from homes too small and crowded with younger brothers and sisters for them to be able to do their school homework at home. During Ramadan, the League serves a hot meal at the end of the day’s fasting to many of Casablanca’s poor. OEUVRE DE LA GOUTTE DE LAIT The Goutte de Lait (“Drop of Milk”) is a non -profit NGO of public utility. Its missions are:
-to fight against infant mortality of children 0 to 2 years old.
-to take in abandoned newborns with a birth weight less than 3 kg, prior to entrusting them to the Lalla Hasna orphanage.
-to accept and care for all newborns in danger of death.
-to provide health education to mothers in need.
It includes a centre for premature newborns, and a hospitalization service for infants. It provides 7500 free medical consultations in its two locations .The staff is made up of 6 neonatologists , all volunteers ;1 permanent director, MD; 1 ear, nose and throat specialist; 1 radiologist; 45 nurses ; 8 cleaning ladies and 6 administrative staff.
In spite of subsidies from the Urban Commune of Casablanca, donations from benefactors and certain parents who have insurance and share in the cost, the resources remain insufficient for optimal care. For more details, write to:
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