The Association du Docteur Fatiha started its activities back in 2008. After only 5 years implementing its programs, ADF scales up. The project: build an urban center, dedicated to a green and social economy. 

Named “Dar al Amal”, which means House of Hope in Arabic, the center will actively create green jobs and spread an ecological culture.

Context

Morocco and the Eastern region, have to deal with a major employment issue. Young people have troubles finding jobs, even when graduated. However, so many things can be put in place here.

Our solution

Every single young person should be part of the improvement of his city or community. In Berkane, they lack a personal support for them to create and manage their project. ADF wishes to build the capacities of young people willing to act, especially those from impoverished background.

The green center will create direct jobs (from the construction, center staff) and indirect ones (young project initiators, women benefiting from revenue-generating activities).

The construction

Dar al Amal will be built on a former landfill, set in the heart of an impoverished area, “Douar ell Mika” (the “neighborhood of plastic bags”).

This building will be a model of green architecture, in its construction but also in its management: energy savings, renewable energies, water management…

The architecture and materials from Berkane will be associated to sustainable and innovative construction methods, to international standards in eco-design. Recycled materials will be used as much as possible in the building, the design and interior furniture.

Using resources that can be considered as “waste” will pave the way to new building techniques, greener and more adapted to a sustainable development.

ADF wants to involve young people and local craftsmen in the center construction, for them to master new know-hows and to be able to transpose them.

The center’s ingredients

The building will be divided into several sectors, dedicated to specific activities:

1. Offices and incubator

to host young Moroccan entrepreneurs, acting for sustainable development and social and solidarity economy

2. Community Center, lab for green ideas

It will provide the populations with work spaces, a library, free internet access. ADF will lead research to develop revenue-generating activities (for impoverished rural women) and bring alternatives to ecological issues of the region, as plastic bags pollution. ADF will also organize plenty of events to raise-awareness among young generations to environmental issues (workshops, debates, movies castings, etc.).

3. Organic café

which will also serve as a sales area for our handicraft products

4. Bed and Breakfasts

to promote eco-tourism the region and host regular projects visitors (designers), or artists

5. Public child-care center

6. Park and educational vegetable garden

7. Administration

8. Housing for staff

Dar Al Amal will quickly become an unavoidable place for community service and for social and green economy in Berkane and in the whole region.

It will also be a place where an alternative vision of leisure and environmental protection can be born.