What was the initiative?
ⵉⵙⵡⵉ (pronounced ee-s-w-ee) is a grassroots initiative dedicated to youth success and dropout prevention, rooted in the rural outskirts of Nador, Morocco. The word “ⵉⵙⵡⵉ” in Tamazight embodies the powerful convergence of purpose and ambition—precisely the spirit this initiative seeks to ignite within the young people it serves.
In its inaugural year, ⵉⵙⵡⵉ launched a tailored, play-based after-school program that supported 25 sixth-grade students, addressing dropout risk through innovative, engaging learning methods. Additionally, three high school students facing critical risks of leaving school received individualized, intensive support. Through a combination of free academic tutoring, gamified coaching, and personalized mentorship, the initiative has created a nurturing environment that inspires persistence, growth, and renewed hope in education.
Was the community connection?
The story behind ⵉⵙⵡⵉ began one summer evening in 2021, in the rural outskirts of Nador, Morocco. Chama Laassassy, originally from Casablanca / Montreal, had accompanied her aunt for a month-long visit to her in-laws’ douar (village). under the quiet moonlit sky, the community gathered for an evening cup of atay (tea). In the midst of a heated conversation the elders had about the education system in Morocco, Marwane—a young boy, entered the conversation, and his words would change everything.
With a fierce certainty beyond his years, Marwane declared, “Do not count on me to go back to school in September.” Chama was stunned: he was only ten years old, at the time, and his determination both saddened and terrified the educator she was. As she listened, she learned that the douar had long suffered from a generational pattern of school abandonment, with boys and girls typically leaving by the age of fourteen.
For the remainder of her stay, one thought echoed relentlessly in Chama’s mind: ten years old is too young to drop out.
When Marwane’s mother, Fatiha, learned that Chama was a teacher, she entrusted her with a simple, urgent request—convince her son to stay in school. Drawing on her experience as an educator, youth mentor, and camp counselor, Chama did not hesitate and thought of a solid plan. She organized an informal summer camp for eight local children in similar situations, equipped with nothing more than a soccer ball and the resources available in the douar.
What began as playful afternoons quickly evolved into something transformative. Chama started integrating math into games, turning learning into a playful, hands-on experience. By the end of the summer, the children’s academic progress was remarkable, with math skills improving significantly—and none of them mentioned wishing to leave school.
The community in the douar quickly became energized—play-based learning was delivering remarkable breakthroughs in combating school abandonment. Each summer, Fatiha warmly invited Chama back, and with every passing season, the initiative blossomed, expanding in both scope and ambition. So powerful was this momentum that a daring question soon took shape: could this summer project transform into a sustainable, year-round program?
It was at this pivotal moment that the Pathy Foundation Fellowship entered the picture, providing the support needed to bring this vision to life.
How was it innovative?
ⵉⵙⵡⵉ isn’t your typical tutoring center or remedial program. It’s a movement—a mindset shift—that starts with one simple truth: no child, especially not one as young as ten, should ever consider dropping out of school. Rooted deeply in play-based learning and an unwavering belief in youth potential, ⵉⵙⵡⵉ flips the script on education in the rural outskirts of Nador.
At its core, ⵉⵙⵡⵉ transforms learning from a source of frustration into a source of joy, confidence, and real success. It’s not just about catching up—it’s about catching fire. The program’s approach is bold, creative, and community-driven, built around six key pillars:
- Early Intervention Matters: Ten years old is way too young to drop out. We act early, when hope can still be ignited.
- Experiencing Success to Build Momentum: Every activity, every lesson, is crafted so that youth experience success—not just aim for it. Once youth experiences success, we can work forward.
- Celebrate Every Win: We spotlight and celebrate and reward progress at every step, because confidence grows with recognition.
- Remove Boredom, Always: Through gamification and play-based learning, learning becomes engaging and motivating.
- Community Support Circles: A less visible but deeply damaging force is the story young people tell themselves—and hear from those around them—that they aren’t meant to succeed. In many homes, education feels out of reach, or simply “not for them.” That is why Community Support Circles are so vital. They create a new narrative—one where students are celebrated publicly, progress is visible and valued, and families become proud advocates of their children’s achievements.
- Breaking the Cycle: Generational dropout is a silent epidemic and ⵉⵙⵡⵉ is committed to breaking that cycle for good.
ⵉⵙⵡⵉ isn’t just fighting school abandonment. It’s sparking belief, creating momentum, and building a future where every child can thrive.
What is Chama doing now?
Chama Laassassy continues to passionately lead the ⵉⵙⵡⵉ initiative nurturing the project’s roots with the same deep care and community-first spirit that sparked its creation. But her vision doesn’t stop there. She is actively working to scale and adapt the program to other regions across Morocco facing the persistent challenge of generational school abandonment. Recognizing that true transformation requires the involvement of the entire ecosystem, Chama is placing a strong emphasis on expanding support services for parents and educators—empowering them with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to become powerful agents of youth success themselves.
Looking beyond the immediate future, Chama dreams ambitiously of creating multiple ⵉⵙⵡⵉ hubs—dynamic centers that will amplify the initiative’s impact to unprecedented levels. These hubs will serve as vibrant community anchors where the spirit of ⵉⵙⵡⵉ can flourish on a grand scale, providing training, mentorship, and opportunities for hundreds of youth mentors. Through these efforts, she envisions a Morocco where school abandonment is no longer a cycle passed down through generations but a challenge eliminated once and for all. This is a vision fueled by hope, resilience, and a profound commitment to rewriting the future for young people across the country.