'Walou' to the rescue of street children in Morocco

Call for help

"It all started in Tetouan when I noticed a big number of young children roaming Mohamed V Street until midnight," Zainab Gormat, an English-language teacher in the northern city of Fez says. She explains how she decided to consider joining a community-service association that addresses the issue of street children.

"There were kids from different ages trying to sell tissues, chewing gums..." while others were hunting for opportunities to "catch" someone passing by them begging them for a couple of dirhams. "The same scene was repeated over and over until I became curious to know what's behind their worn-out but smiley faces."

Joining "Walou" was just a matter of time when Zainab got in touch with its two main founders, Dahlia Maarouf and Maiya Ahmed. "It was exactly what I was looking for to be able to contribute to rescuing some of many children in distress throughout Morocco."

A Research and Funding Manager within Walou, Zainab is working on developing training program such as mechanic courses, carpentry, sewing classes, sports...etc. “This is meant to help those kids develop their potentials while being re-integrated into the society, and being offered a chance to pursue their studies. It is also meant to involve other people, make this issue everyone's concern,” Zainab adds.

British endeavor for Moroccan mission:

For Walou Director/Founder, Dahlia Maarouf, it is quite strange that the organization started off in the UK by British citizens from Egyptian and Somali origins. “Surprisingly, none of us [the founders] are actually Moroccans,” says Dahlia, a Briton with Egyptian origins who decided to embark on this mission after spending one year in Morocco.

Currently, there are eight committed people involved in this charity group: four in the UK and four others in Morocco. The organization was officially launched after being registered as British Charity in April 2009. It is now in the process of being declared as a Moroccan charity organization.

 Dahlia, who has a long career in PR and Advocacy, sums up the mission of Walou into one full sentence: “To protect and care for Moroccan children living in precarious situations, through rehabilitation, reintegration and outreach programs.”

“It shocked and saddened me that there were many children as young as 6 or 7 living and working on the streets fending for themselves,” says Maiya Ahmed, a Londonian pharmacist and one of the founding members.

Getting it together

It is a bit challenging to get the organization on track with eight people having full time jobs: “There is still a lot of work to do on a daily basis in terms of admin, business plans, fundraising strategies, and actually setting up the project,” Says Dahlia.

Operating from home, Dahlia hopes by the beginning of the 2010, Walou will have received funds to set up an office in London. The starting, yet committed group members plan to build the first center in Casablanca by 2010. “This project is ongoing and has the potential to help an endless amount of children living in precarious situations,” Dahlia says.

 The Organisation has a website of its own www.walou4us.com. Besides its mission of reaching out to the community to recruit volunteers or collect funds, it features heart-breaking stories of children who live in the street with no protection.

Where is the money?

Funding is the backbone of every Charity organization to ensure continuity and success in attaining the goals set. Aware of this fact, Walou has held a few successful Fundraising events in London over the two years.

“We have just started our Fundraising Strategy to get bigger sponsors on board. We hope to apply to different government bodies and companies within the UK, Europe and also in Morocco,” says Dahlia.

Moroccan Trekking is yet another way to fundraise: A group of British friends took part in May in a six-day Moroccan Trek through the Atlas Mountains. All in aid for Walou. The same group of friends successfully completed the 3 peaks challenge last year in June 2008, a bench-mark in British trekking, where participants climbed the highest three mountains in England all in 24 hours.

 “Walou’s aim is to get everyone involved, everyone can volunteer towards this organization,” says Dahlia in a hopeful tone.

More than a charity

 According to Zainab, Walou literally means "nothing" in Moroccan Arabic. It means that everyone can help even if they think they have "Walou" because help is not only confined to being able to offer money; it can be by simply smiling or saying hi to those kids, treat them as "normal" kids, teach something you know, instead of ignoring them and walking away as if they didn't exist.

For Dahlia what really makes Walou different is the fact that it offers more than a home or food to eat. It is about working with each child and recognizing his/her individuality, difficulties and struggles.

“I can’t wait until we build our first home in Casa, and I can’t wait until we see these children growing, learning and excelling like other children,” she goes on to say.