Yallah: A Life Skills program promoting Math, Science, and Peacebuilding in El Hajeb, Morocco

Abstract

For the past 20 years the Maghreb region of North Africa has been experiencing a rise in youth unemployment. This has been brought on by a youth bulge, a small increase of positions in the private sector and decrease of positions in the public sector, and a mismatch of skills necessary for employment. Many youthsleave university unable to find employment because their degrees in humanities or language studies do not adequately prepare them for private sector employment. As seen in the Arab Spring in Tunisia, lack of employment can result in feelings of deprivation which can escalate to violence. One proposed programmatic method has been to change the focus in education towards science and mathematics. This project will propose a program which teaches life skills and promotes Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics- (STEM-) for young women at youth centers (Dar Chebab) in the Atlas Mountains near universities in Ifrane, Fez and Meknes. The program would be enacted in collaboration with Peace Corps volunteers and national volunteers of Morocco. The proposal for this project will be primarily based on academic research and anecdotal experience working with the United States Peace Corps at a youth center in El Hajeb, Morocco.