The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Moroccan National Commission for Education, Science and Culture launched the free distribution of sanitizers and prevention materials produced within the framework of the project for countering the repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic developing entrepreneurial spirit among women and youth. The project was implemented in partnership with Alwaleed Philanthropies for the benefit of 10 African countries, including the Kingdom of Morocco.

In his address at the launching ceremony, held on September 21, 2021, at the Commission’s headquarters in Rabat, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), stressed that empowering women and girls, who are the most affected by this pandemic, has significantly contributed to mitigating the ensuing repercussions, particularly through the production of necessary prevention materials and sanitizers. He also reaffirmed the need to ensure the sustainability of income and training of girls taking part in this project.

Dr. AlMalik indicated that ICESCO has proclaimed 2021 as the Year of Women under the theme “Women for the Future”, an initiative celebrated under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI. He also expressed his thanks and appreciation to Alwaleed Philanthropies Foundation, a supporting partner in this promising project, and to the Moroccan National Commission for its interest and action to implement this project, as well as the cooperatives that ensured the participation of women and girls in the project.

Dr. Said Amzazi, Minister of National Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education and Scientific Research, Chairman of the Commission, in his speech delivered on his behalf by Mr. Jamal Eddine El Aloua, Secretary-General of the Commission, said that the project was a success. Mr. El Aloua stressed the importance of this project in supporting the productive units of the informal sector to empower them to improve their working methods and help them have access to the formal sector, and enable the vulnerable categories to benefit from masks, sanitizers, liquid soaps, and floor cleaners, made within the framework of the project.

He thanked ICESCO and its DG for all the initiatives that truly embody the strategic partnership between the Organization and the National Commission, considering that this ceremony is the culmination of the efforts made by each participant to make this promising project a success, since its launch in November 2020.

During this ceremony, the representatives of the cooperatives benefiting from the project in different regions of Morocco delivered their respective speeches, wherein they expressed their thanks to the project organizers.

In this regard, Ms. Jamila Idbourrous, from the Union of Women’s Cooperatives of Argan Tree “Tissaliwine”, reaffirmed that the pandemic has negatively affected many of the argan products. She noted that this project has been an opportunity to diversify production to include sanitizers, and added that it has offered many opportunities for rural women to work in the region of Agadir.

Mr. Yassine Al Hara, from the company “Fast Clean Missour,” said that this project has allowed small cooperatives to modernize the equipment used in production, which has allowed them to increase this production and offer more jobs for women. Ms. Hassbia Nouari, from the company “Hassbia Fashion,” said that this project has made a leap forward in the field of sewing for the company, which has produced masks and provided many job opportunities for women.

At the end of the ceremony, ICESCO DG, the Secretary-General of the Commission, and the participants of the Moroccan National Commission, as well as the officials of the Social and Human Sciences Sector at ICESCO took a look at the products produced by the cooperatives in the framework of the project.