Promoting Equity in rural areas through STEM

In Morocco, Girls, especially in rural areas, lack of resources and of role models in STEM field. Most of them drop school in an early age (around 57% drop out after primary school), and very few chose STEM studies as a major. The problem is present globally where 132 Million girls are out of school according to GPE. Moreover, the curriculum does not allow them to learn how to use the knowledge they acquire to solve real world problems, and especially after the pandemic where they lost precious instruction times due to restrictions and non engaging learning format. 

We worked this year with private stakeholders and MOE to introduce robotics programs into schools in rural areas. Through this program, and in order to boost the motivation of Girls in rural areas, we work closely with teachers to help them create an inclusive learning friendly environments and encourage and guide learners on how to go about the difficulties they experience. 

We started by training around 400 teachers from all around morocco, and then by providing robotics sets and materials to around 120 teachers. These teachers had to go through a selection process to evaluate their motivation and the need for our support. Each teacher had to follow a series of trainings and meetings, and then work with their students according with provided teaching material while promoting the core values among their community, to prepare them for regional and national robotics tournaments and expos (FIRST LEGO League program among others) 

These teams were able to compete in events and were celebrated by their communities as heroes, and role models for their peers. Their teachers believe that the experience would change the way girls are perceived by their community and the way they plan their future

By engaging teachers, we make sure they are motivated to engage with the students. Most of the teachers work extra hours and even voluntarily up to 16 hours a week when they see the how excited their students are. Such programs help not only to deliver the basic skills in a fun way, but brings them a real social and emotional experience that shapes their behavior. 

The program has 3 components :

• A technical component focused on developing robotics, STEM and coding skills
• A second component focused on solving real world problems for their communities
• A third component focused on developing soft skills such as communication, autonomy and empowerment (fundraising, peerlearning..)

We are a team of engineers and educators, all volunteering to bring this project to light since 2015. Most of our volunteers come from similar backgrounds and have a real ambition to inspire these kids to follow this path. We remain very close to the teachers and hold weekly meetings with them to listen to their problems and bring them the support they need. We also have a partnership with the ministery of Education that allows us to access the schools, teachers and admin when needed to implement the programs.

We would like to get support and learn how we can take the project to the next level and support more students in the African continent. We would also like to build a netwrok with organizations and partners who share the same vision and same values to work together for a better EdTech environment. We would also like to give the work we do more visibility and better communicate about the impact we are making.

Robotics is usually regarded as a "luxury" and complementary activity. Usually in rural areas the focus is on literacy with non engaging methods. With the use of robotics, children can learn technical as well as improve their literacy. Robotics is used as a tool to allow the to immerse them into a technological future. 

Another aspect that is innovative, is how we include girls in robotics workshops. In rural communities, girls are perceived as future wives and mothers only and are limited in their ambitions. By exposing them to robotics and technology we try to break the bias and prove that girls can bring more to their societies

In the next 5 years, we plan to impact 10.000 students while keeping a girls' participation ratio close to 50%.

We are currently working on an impact study to find out how this program changes the rate of drop out or post-graduation orientation. Our aim is that all students participating continue school until high school graduation.

Number of students directly impacted

Number of students indirectly impacted

Number of teachers trained

% of girls participation

% of students with skills improvement (to be detailed)

Change in % of students to finish high school

By participating in the program, the students acquire new skills and understand the link between what they study and the world around them, it would help spark the desire to change their community and work on solving their problems, it would also boost their confidence when they see role models. When these kids achieve something (even if small), their parents will believe that they are capable of more and will allow them and support them to pursue their ambitions. These young people become role models for their peers and younger generation.

For their project component students might use a variety of technologies based on the need they have. They might use MIT App inventor to make apps, Scratch to make video games, Arduino, EV3 robots, 3D printing...to make prototypes.

Our founding team is composed of 2 women and 1 man. We give equal chances for our new hires regardless of their gender. We now have a ratio of 60% of women in the organization team from different backgrounds and different regions.

We have a 3 parties partnership where we bring together the MOE and a sponsor to support a certain number of teams and cover the expanses. We run the operations, the MOE facilitates the logistics and the Sponsor provides the funds and mentors/volunteers. 

Our beneficiaries are teachers (and students) who teach the students and implement the program locally and coordinate with their schools and communities as needed. 

In oder to support our beneficiaries, we hold weekly meeting with the them to provide them with the necessary resources, answer their questions and help them solve the challenges they are facing.

The teachers and students are eager to find new and innovative ways to learn and engage and not be left behind in term of technology, especially that the access to internet and resources is limited in those areas.

We also hold frequent reporting and review meetings with Sponsors and MOE to update them on the program and coordinate with them to attain the goals.

Through our partnership with MOE, we are able to access a great network of sponsors and partners willing to support the program, as they see these students as their future engineers

Through our partnership with FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), we work on sponsorship opportunities that are interesting for our region 

We have received multiple grants from LEGO Foundation over the past, and this year we have received 4 main grants that helped us reach 120 schools (STEM Equity Community Innovation Grant, APTIV, US Embassy and another confidential donor)