Equipment and functionning of a Children's Shelter

Thanks to your donations and other partner’s financial support, the 24/24h shelter is operating well and the activities are well on track. Daily and comprehensive care is ensured by a multidisciplinary team, providing children in difficult situations with important services as to psychological rehabilitation, nutrition, clothing, schooling, administrative and judicial aid, and family support. Currently 65 children are cared for at the shelter.

During the last school year (2012-2013), 124 children went to public school and 138 children took part in the non formal education (NFE) program. 90% of them succeeded and integrated the next level, 79 children ended the NFE program and 8 youth obtained their Baccalaureates.

 Different international solidarity projects took place at the shelter too. In last April, students from Belgium came to exchange with the children. The youth organized together the renovation of an old wagon used for activities. Three month later, another group of young people came from France to take part to the renovation of the El Kissai School and carried out cultural visits in Casablanca. These projects constituted for the youth a real exchange experiences of which they constantly expressed their pride.

Important official visits to the shelter took place as well. Mrs Ann Meceda, the American Consul in charge of Political and Social Affairs, visited the shelter and learned about the numerous activities of Bayti. Mrs Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Human Beings, met with the team and children as part of her mission in Morocco to produce observations and recommendations to the Moroccan Government.

 The 28^th of June was a remarking date at the shelter. The team celebrated the wedding of an ex-beneficiary of Bayti. It was a first ever and everyone enjoyed this happy event.  

 During last summer 2013, numerous associative and private partners visited the shelter and proposed various activities for the youth. For instance, the Kane Ya Makane association organized artistic working groups (painting, theater, music and songs, cinema…) and the Abdelmoumen Institute organized a charity fair of which the benefits supported the daily care of children.

 A summer camp in Assilah took place in August. The children enjoyed the beach and the sea; they took part to all the games proposed by the educators.

Then, during the holy month of Ramadan, other faithful partners provided equipments, food and entertainments for the youth (Omar Tazi Foundation, El Hakama association, Planète Sports…).

 Then, the Japanese NGO Peace Boat visited the shelter for the seventh time since the beginning of our collaboration. They organized painting session to decorate walls all around the multifunctional sports field.

 In order to ensure sustainable activities at the shelter and help more and more children living in hard circumstances, Bayti is in constant need to the support and contribution of both individuals and institutions.

Looking forward to sharing with you the next report, we thank you very much for your support. 

Thanks to the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH), the company SODIPAM and your donations, Bayti’s new building was fully equipped in December 2011 so that we could move in. The old shelter in turn became the home of the younger children up to the age of 12.

The new facilities, right beside the old ones, provide the children with more room to live learn and play. The three-bed rooms they share give them a certain degree of privacy. Four meals a day are prepared in a fully functional kitchen, including the famous couscous which is served every Friday. A computer room with Internet access equipped by Dell and the computer classes held there enable the children to familiarize themselves with information technology, get to know the World Wide Web and discover the information available there. During their leisure the children can relax in the spacious living room. There are plentiful opportunities outside the building as well.

The kids can do different kind of sports like football or basketball on the multifunctional sports field created with the help of Fondation Oxylane (Décathlon). Right beside it, there is a brand new playground for the younger children thanks to “Opération arc-en-ciel”. Additionally, we still have our good old railway coach containing a small classroom which is used for tutoring and other activities.

98 children are currently living in our shelter. Our professional team takes care of them 24/7 and helps them to build their life project. The children are offered divers activities like sports, producing radio features and trips. Education is indispensable for an autonomous life. Therefore we are very happy that almost all of our children succeeded in their end of the year exams this year and were promoted to the next grade. While the kids enjoyed their well deserved summer vacation, the team was already busy preparing the start of the new school year in September. Thanks to your help we were able to cover their needs in terms of clothing and school material.

In October, the Japanese NGO Peace Boat visited the shelter. Among other activities, the children painted part of the outside walls of the building, thus really making it their own. The photos of our new building and the sports field were taken on this occasion.