Fahim learns to plan for success

Fahim, 25, is one of a family of six. He left high school to work with his father in poultry farming, but the business failed. Fahim enrolled in ITA, the Institute of Applied Technology, where he studies motor vehicle repair.

“The poultry project failed because I did not know how to manage it. I didn't even know the first thing about planning. I behaved badly with the suppliers and did not know how to treat customers. Besides, I had no experience or training in this domain, so I made many errors."

“MEDA's 100 Hours to Success training helped me a lot. Even if I had many ideas and means to initiate them, I did not trust my skills to realize my project and make it a success, and I was not well organized. Now, I record my income and expenses in a book to follow them, and I set up a plan to help me realize my ideas."

"My goal is to earn my diploma from ITA and work one year at a garage to acquire some experience. Then I would like to open my own garage for car repair. With what I have learned, I am sure that this time my business will be a success."

Morocco's Berbers balance children's needs

This week's guest blogger, Fouzia Mharzi of MEDA MAROC, talks about how the nomadic Berber (Amazigh) population of the mountainous Middle Atlas region of Morocco view schooling.

"During the French colonization of Morocco, our grandparents tell us, a new law required countrymen of the Middle Atlas area to send their children to school. This meant rural populations would be deprived of a traditional labor force – their large families. At a young age – 6 or 7 – children began to help their parents as shepherds or in other farming works. Families saw their children's future in the fields.

"But slowly, poor families began to invest in their children's education, hoping that one day, they’d become a state employee – primary school teacher, forest warden – who could provide for themselves, their parents and their extended family.

"Now, with a much higher cost of living, primary school teachers and forest wardens can no longer provide a decent life for their children, even in today's much smaller families.

"Middle class families who can more easily afford to invest in their children's education are only able to provide enough schooling to ensure their children attain basic financial independence from their parents when they become adults.

"In poor families, children are often kept at home to help with farming. Girls either stay at home to do the house work or are sent into town to contribute to the daily basic expenses by working in service. Such is the case for of thousands of young maids under age 15 who work for rich families in pitiful conditions."

MEDA's 100 Hours to Change program provides new options for unemployed youth in Morocco by giving them practical tools to begin building a better future.

Aziz grows his business

His name is Aziz. Single and 22 years old, he is from Boumia, a small village in the Middle Atlas region of Morocco. Aziz lives with his family of nine: his father, who is a bricklayer, his mother, an older sister who is divorced, his nephew, twin brother, sister-in-law and two younger brothers who are still in school.

Aziz was still in primary school when he abandoned his studies to join the working world. Last year he became a shopkeeper, renting a small store for 250 dirham (Dh) – about $30 a month. He sells candies and roasted peas – a business known in Morocco as a taguellaite. With a monthly net income of 1000 Dh, Aziz contributes up to 700 Dh to help support his family and keeps 300 Dh as an allowance for himself.

But Aziz wanted to expand his business, so he went to AMOS (Association Microfinance Oued Srou), which in partnership with MEDA has developed a loan product for youth. Despite his youth, his single status and lack of credit history, Aziz was able to contract a loan of 3000 Dhs with a 12-month term – without having to provide a promissory note as a guarantee.

Thanks to this new financial product, Aziz and other young Moroccans will be able to see hope for prosperity in their future.

Adil: MEDA's voice from the field

Watch this video of Adil Sadoq, MEDA's field project manager for YouthInvest, as he describes the project's aim, who we will serve and how we will measure success. Adil was interviewed on September 30, 2009 at the Global Youth Enterprise Conference hosted by Making Cents International in Washington, DC.