Family Literacy Leads to Entrepreneurship
The women of Merdhal Amane village participated in literacy and numeracy classes, started a local business, and sought skills training to successfully launch and manage a new couscous and cereal cooperative.
Participatory Learning for Practical Application
In early 2023, a group of 30 women from the Merdhal Amane village in Khenifra joined the Family Literacy Program, driven by a shared dream of economic independence. Through a participatory approach, the women openly shared their challenges and essential needs - something they were not able to do before.
Since illiteracy was one of the women’s key challenges, they identified education as one of their top priorities and began receiving literacy classes to learn to read and write in Arabic and do simple mathematics. This helped them start their own business, an agricultural cooperative that produces couscous and cereal-based products, with the help of the Office of Cooperative Development (ODCO).
One of the highlights of the Merdhale Amane Cooperative’s journey was the couscous-making training that they received from Ittou Amou, the president of nearby Yamna cooperative. The women were very happy to acquire new skills and were inspired to learn from other women who had achieved remarkable success on a similar path.
The women of Merdhal Amane were thrilled to finally launch their business, and took the initiative to seek resources that would equip them well. Along with the couscous training, they also received marketing consulting from Ms. Majda Dalal. These tools allowed the group to thoroughly prepare for the successful opening of their cooperative.
In Merdhal Amane, literacy classes paved the way for women-led entrepreneurship that benefits the entire community.
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