Global Collaboration Project

The year 2014 started with great news and great results for our participants in both the United States and Morocco.

Our student leaders in the Bronx are increasingly developing their Web TV project by involving more young people in the production and the editorial phase of each episode. Their latest work was on coming up with ways to inform companies and other corporations on how to efficiently communicate with youth while advertising for their product as well as developing ways to demonstrate social and corporate responsibility in ads. Participants gathered and created a list of recommendations that they are planning on presenting for the April episode as a skit. 

I had the opportunity to visit Dounia Project in Morocco last weekend to participate in their activities, conduct the mid-term evaluations, and hear about participants' individual stories. I was struck by five participants who explained to me how they became financially independent and/or social activists thanks to the skills they have acquired while being part of the program. All five were part of the first cohort of the program in Casablanca and have now leadership roles within the organization including being co-facilitators. Some examples are:

Rachid has started a non-profit organization to provide safe access to water in his village of origin in the south of Morocco. His focus is also to start an adult literacy program for the women of the community. 

Asmaa created her own photography company. She is now hired to be the photographer in weddings, baptisms, and other social events in her community. She uses social media to advertise her work. 

Mohamed creates monthly videos depicting marginalized youth to help them overcome personal and social issues. He also uses his video production skills to record weddings and other social events. 

Mohssine is now a life coach. He sometimes works with Mohamed to provide support to at-risk young men and women in their community and to direct them to relevant institutions for further assistance.

Ghizlane is a social media specialist and have been working with E-Motion Productions a Morocco-based communications agency as a community manager.

All five participants transmit their skills to the new cohort of Dounia Project participants by facilitating sessions and also serve as positive role models.