Presentation of the NGO

ITRAN - Association of Friends of Moroccan People ITRAN, is a non-governmental organization of cooperation and developmental aid, financially supported only by the contributions of its members and donors who believe in our mission and share our values. ITRAN was funded in Barcelona in 1999, although already since the 80's the ITRAN’s founders were active in Morocco, in order to:

- Support education in the rural areas of Morocco;

- Promote the mutual understanding between the two cultures, the Spanish and the Moroccan;

- Advocate boosting the socio-economical development of Morocco;

- Support the emancipation process of women.

Description of the project

Schooling Program:

The project aim is to help and promote the schooling process to address the main schooling needs identified in the compulsory educational system (primary and secondary) in the scholar sector of Erfoud, the one of the poorest rural areas of the country (Morocco). Thanks to your donation, we will continue fighting against educational failure and early school abandonment.

Major necessities and problems detected:

- A total lack of adequate materials for teaching and learning. Since there are many families living in conditions of significant poverty, most of them can not bear the costs of any books or other school materials.

- A total lack of educational resources that stimulate efficient learning: there are no supporting educational materials like experimental kits, books, paints, miscellaneous school supplies, etc.

Project objectives:

- Reduce the early school abandonment rate;

- Ensure that all the children have access to the basic school materials needed for proper and effective learning since only few families can afford them;

- Reduce the level of educational failure;

- Create space and environment to stimulate effective learning by providing the educational materials and proposing stimulating activities during the annual "Summer Camp" project;

- Create computers-equipped classrooms;

- Introduce the correct personal and oral hygiene habits by organizing quarterly educational sessions where theoretical and practical classes are given as well as hygienic material is provided (toothbrushes, toothpastes, soaps, etc...).

In parallel to projects mentioned above, ITRAN association is involved in other activities aiming to help the children to continue secondary education, especially among girls. A monthly allowance of 10€ during one year provided by our Patronage Program, allows to continue the secondary education by the children from the poorest families. The school abandonment after the primary school level is of our particular concern because it is mostly caused by the costs of education and also by the early employment of the teenagers. Apart of fighting against these obstacles, ITRAN develops the school transportation system by providing of the bicycles to the girls attending the high school.

Where is the schooling project conducted?

The schooling program is focused on the „Dakhla” scholar sector of the city of Erfoud (Errachidia), south-eastern Morocco. The region is considered to be one of the most abandoned and deprived areas of Morocco, both economically and socially, mainly because of the long distance separating it form developed Moroccan cities as well as its proximity to the desert which makes that the local population is steeped in poverty.

The mentioned area encompasses a total of 5 villages (Hbibat, Alhayne, Chyahna, Ksar Ben Ali, Jraba) with 584 children attending the schools.