Covid-19: Emergency help for children and youth

Due to the restrictions related to the health crisis of COVID 19, the Royal Military High School organized face-to-face studies for the young people in first and second year of baccalaureate, on the other hand the youth in third year middle school, like Taha, Fadi and Abdelahkim joined the Royal Military High School in two periods: one in January 2021 and another one at the end of May 2021, two preparatory periods for the two exams; local and regional. The young Taha who often asks to join the Royal Military High School to follow his studies in face-to-face, has encountered difficulties in following the online courses due to technical problems, lack of attendance with his teachers, especially in sports. For this subject, his teacher asked him to do an activity and send it by video; thus Taha prepared himself by bringing his sports uniform, warmed up in the courtyard of his apartment in Salé while the young Karim filmed him.

During the 2020-2021 school year, three young baccalaureate holders challenged themselves to achieve the best grade each. Two of them, El Mokhtar and Omar are in the Humanities Baccalaureate and Mohamed in the International Science Baccalaureate, SVT option. Each young person led his challenge to be the first either in class or at the regional exam. The three young people wanted to finalize their course at the Royal Military High School successfully, leave their footprints, and promote the image of SOS Children's Villages Morocco, as young people who grew up in SOS Children's Villages. Omar ranked second in class with an average of 16.63 while El Mokhtar achieved an average of 15.15. As for Mohamed got an average of 17.77 and was ranked first in class as well as at the provincial level.

Mohamed was admitted first to the Royal Military High School at the age of 13 years and followed a college and high school course. During this period, Mohamed did not stop working hard to obtain his International Baccalaureate in French option in SVT with honors, with an average of 17.77! He was ranked first in class and provincial. On the day the results of the BAC were posted, Mohamed could not sleep until 3:30 in the morning to see his result. His teacher wanted to accompany him but Mohamed did not want to, probably out of pride and to surprise him! Mohamed shared his joy with his brothers, his teacher, his professors and the entire educational team of SOS Children's Villages Morocco.

Like a devastating hurricane, the Covid-19 health crisis changed the lives of young people were autonomous and had a stable socio-professional situation before March 2020, date of the first lockdown. They were no longer relying on SOS Children’s Villages.

Many young people found themselves overnight without all resources and left to fend for themselves. Others were unable to recover from their difficulties due to the continuing economic and health crisis. The association reopened its doors to them "which it always leaves ajar", to offer its help. Indeed, we offered them alternative solutions in order to overcome this ordeal together, as a real family should.

Some young people worked in sectors, which were strongly impacted by the crisis (hotels, restaurants). However, the situation is still critical and young people must then reorient themselves professionally if they want to be able to have a job. Therefore, this means completely changing their professional projects and it is very challenging for them.

Some of the youth who were jobless and whom we supported found a new job or started their activity as delivery man.

• Yassine:

Yassine, 24, has been autonomous for 3 years after obtaining two diplomas, one in Catering and the other in Hotel & Restaurant Management (in a private school in Tangier). He speaks Arabic, French, Turkish and English. In February 2020, Yassine left Morocco for Turkey where he managed a tourist company. “I was fortunate enough to meet in Casablanca a person who had their company in Istanbul and offered to work for them. I loved my job and Turkey. Unfortunately, the company had to shut down with the Covid-19 crisis. " A shock for Yassine who admits to having locked himself in his house that day, having turned off his phone because he did not want to talk to anyone and ... cried. For 2 days, he remained in this state of distress. “I lost my dream by losing my job. I loved my life in Istanbul. I returned to Morocco.” The day after his arrival, Yassine began to apply, deaf to the words of the people around him who kept repeating, "There is no work." He was sending 30 CVs a day.

2 months after returning to Morocco, Yassine met Fatima Ezzahra, who is in charge of the Youth in SOS Children’s Villages Morocco. Fatima Ezzahra took his CV. Then, she calls him a few days later, to make him an offer: the association was ready to provide him with a motorbike if he wished to work as a deliveryman, which he accepted immediately.

Today, Yassine has returned to the active life… on his motorbike; he is a deliveryman in a company and he is reassured to have a salary and social security coverage. He returned to live with his retired SOS mother and his five loving brothers. "Between us there is mutual aid and great family and solidarity. »

Although he lost his confidence in the future, Yassine is hopeful. “We have to prepare for upheavals in our life. Our project can be reduced to nothing. You have to have a plan B. My current goal, which I will strive to achieve, is to return to work and live in Turkey. This is my dream. I hold on to it. "

• Meryem: 

Meryem, 23 years old has been autonomous for 4 years after gradutating in catering in the vocational training office in Morocco. After several paid internships, she worked in a restaurant in Casablanca in December 2019, which she voluntarily left 2 months later. This led her to a situation of instability and vulnerability that she found difficult to get out of on her own.

Losing her job caused her to lose her housing.

Friends offered to put her up temporarily. "I even wandered and slept on the street. I had bad company. When I look back today, I tell myself that I am the only one at fault and responsible for this phase of my life that I regret. I was unconscious, carefree. I lived from day to day with almost nothing. I did not want to contact the Association. ". As time went by, Meryem saw her health deteriorating. She didn't eat anymore, lost weight, had drops in blood pressure.

One day she woke up as if from a nightmare. She called Fatima Ezzahra, the person in charge of the youth of the Association. She wanted to consult a doctor. "The Association made an appointment for me; I followed a 3 months treatment: vitamins, stimulants to increase my appetite and iron against anemia. I made a promise to the association that I would change. Fatima Ezzahra bought me food. We stayed in touch. The association did everything for me. I can never repay them for what they gave me."

In the summer of 2020, she made a decision that would change the course of her wandering life.
Meryem calls the Association to help her look for a job. That's how she found her new job in fast food. "I was very happy to be accepted. The association supported me financially until I received my salary. I signed a two-year contract." A relief for Meryem who now lives at home in a shared apartment. "I feel stable and stronger. I don't want to go back to the street.
The future in this troubled period of health crisis? She does not see it.
"I have no dreams or plans. I just want a stable life: to have something to eat, where to sleep and a job; you have to hold on to the job because it's rare right now." And wistfully, she adds, "Sometimes I think I would have preferred to stay a child because adult life requires too much responsibility."