The Anoual Alumni Grant Competition was a resounding success, supporting 10 impactful projects aimed at promoting youth empowerment, education, and cultural opportunities in Morocco. Over 25 days of training, 41 alumni and 61 non-alumni were involved in implementing these projects, which made a difference in 15 different cities throughout the country. In total, the projects directly benefited 374 individuals, with 166 male and 208 female beneficiaries. The competition invested a total of 95125 MAD, a significant contribution towards promoting positive change in underprivileged communities across Morocco. The Anoual team is proud to have played a role in supporting these inspiring initiatives and looks forward to continuing its efforts to empower young Moroccans.
The selection process
Anoual and the US Embassy have collaborated to launch the Alumni Grant Competition through an online application process that was open for two months. The competition has garnered the attention of 67 US exchange program alumni from 16 different exchanges, representing 31 cities. Out of the 28 applications received, 10 projects have been selected based on their focus on sharing experiences related to exchange programs, youth empowerment, and promoting educational and cultural opportunities for young Moroccans. The competition also ensured that a diverse range of Moroccan regions, particularly underprivileged communities and remote towns, were covered. The selection panel was impressed with the applicants’ proposed topics, which included civic engagement, global goals, social entrepreneurship, empowering organizations, health and well-being, and others.
The one-day training
To support the 10 selected teams in launching their ideas, a one-day training was organized for 20 alumni. During the training, participants attended workshops and were given the opportunity to develop their action plans and ideas. Two different speakers facilitated the training sessions, with one focusing on project management and the other on branding the project. The training concluded with a session on “the next step,” which emphasized setting deadlines and preparing for action. The aim of the training was to provide the selected teams with the necessary skills and knowledge to successfully implement their projects.
The launch
After the one-day training, the participants returned to their local communities and began implementing their projects based on their action plans. The Anoual team provided assistance throughout the process, including logistical information, contacts for speakers, and promotion on social media. The selected teams had four and a half months to execute their projects and were given 80% of the grant at the beginning. Upon completion of their projects, the teams submitted detailed reports to receive the remaining grant funds. Each project included two to three days of training, which impacted beneficiaries from 15 different cities, including Agadir, Ait Ourir, Tameslouht, Ait Rahal, Drarga, Tikiouine, Sidi Slimane, Tiflet, Guercif, Tetouan, Tangier, Oujda, Souk Larbaa, Rabat, and Essaouira. Overall, the Anoual Alumni Grant Competition successfully supported 10 projects that made a positive impact on Moroccan youth empowerment, education, and cultural opportunities.
