IMPACT REPORT 2022

Soar prendre son envol ﻖﻴﻠﺤﺗ

Dear Soar friends and supporters,

Think back to your childhood – that short period when you were freed from the challenges and responsibilities of adulthood. But not so for 12 millions of girls around the world who every year are married as children. Morocco is certainly no exception. According to the UNFPA, nearly one in six Moroccan girls is married as a child. The country’s Family Code stipulates that children should not be married under the age of 18 but contains loopholes for child marriage. Although intended to be exceptional, authorizations for child marriages now have become the norm in Morocco.

According to a study by the Moroccan Public Ministry, between 2015 and 2019, 57% of child marriages were authorized on the same day as the request, 88% were authorized without consulting a social worker, and 91% without medical expertise. Current legislation has failed to control or prevent child marriage in Morocco. A form of discrimination against girls, child marriage is a girls’ problem, as only 1% of boys are married underage. Far from being in the “best interests of the girl” or a source of protection and stability, child marriage is terrible for girls. Particularly alarming, child marriages produce child mothers. According to a study by the Public Ministry, 82% of minors had a child during the first years of marriage and the majority gave birth between one and three times before the age of 18; 14% of pregnancies of minors resulted in miscarriage, death of the newborn or children with disabilities.

Also, 26% of minors gave birth at home without medical supervision, despite the fact that 59% of minor mothers required surgical procedures during childbirth; 37% of married girls participating in the study said they had acquired sexually transmitted diseases in their marriage. This is not right, this is not fair, and this must end.

With this in mind, in early 2022, Project Soar launched the Building a Greater Girls’ Rights (BIGGER) Movement with a goal of closing all legal loopholes to child marriage in Morocco by 2025. Project Soar’s teen girls themselves are at the head of the BIGGER movement. Hundreds of Soar girl leaders have been trained in advocacy and many actively participated in the process of developing the proposed legal amendments to the Family Code with lawyers from Mobilizing for Rights Associates. It’s been so inspiring to see them stepping into their leadership in meetings with parliamentarians, ministers, UN agencies and ambassadors!

Our work is made possible due to the help and support of our donors, board members and you, our supporters! I also can’t thank enough the tireless efforts of the Project Soar team – our core team in Marrakech and our Soar women facilitators all across the country.Together, let’s continue to work towards a better world for teen girls.

Maryam Montague Project Soar Founder and Executive Director

Nonprofit organization, registered in Morocco and as a US 501(c)3

Established in 2013

Morocco & Syria

Headquartered in Marrakech

Underserved teen girls

WHEN WHERE HOW

Signature empowerment solution and advocacy campaigns helping teen girls understand and fight for their:

WHAT VALUE VOICE BODY RIGHTS PATH ﻖﻴﻠﺤﺗ

The Soar Mission

The Soar Pledge

Soar Dictionary

Soar

A girl aged 12-18 from an underserved area who is part of Project Soar's empowerment programs

Soar Facilitator

Girl Soar Squad

A trained female mentor from her local community who leads Project Soar's empowerment workshops for Soar Girls

Soar Club

A portable Project Soar kit that contains all the materials needed for Facilitators to empower a group of 20 girls at 1 location

Soar Site

Group of 20 Soar Girls led by 2 Empowerment Facilitators in a Soar Site

A group of current or former Soar Girls who come together regularly to develop their leadership skills

An open dialogue with community members led by Soar Girls and Facilitators on a topic important to teen girls

Locations across Morocco and Syria where Project Soar's programs are implemented, safe spaces for Soar Girls

Soar Morocco

Where we worked this year:

Impact data

99% of Soar Girls plan to go to the next grade level

100%

90% of eligible Soar Girls passed the BAC2 Exam

of Soar Girls passed the school year

3.18%

of Soar Girls dropped out of school

0.91% Only

Only of Soar Girls married underage

Data collected from 452 Soar Girls in 2022 across 40 Soar locations in Morocco.

Our Signature Programs

The Project Soar empowerment curriculum is packaged into a scalable, portable kit called Soar in a Box that provides all the tools needed for a team of 2 trained local women ‘Empowerment Facilitators’ to lead a ‘squad’ of 20 teen girls through the program. As a Soar Girl progresses through the curriculum, she undergoes a transformative process whereby she further develops her self-confidence; speaks up; embraces her adolescent body; fights for her rights; and sets future goals.

Over the course of the program, girls are mentored to facilitate the program themselves, creating a sustainable mechanism that fosters self-mastery of skills attained & peer to peer learning.

Building on our empowerment curriculum, Soar Girls form Soar Clubs in each program site creating a safe space for them to connect and support one another and to practice the leadership skills they have learned during the workshops, enhancing their chances for brighter futures by staying and excelling in school, thereby increasing their employability. Girl-led, each Club has elected officers who help steer the Club using a Soar Club Toolkit and with the support of their Soar Facilitators. Typically, Clubs meet periodically over the academic year.

Empowered Soar Girls and their facilitators lead Soar Dialogues to educate and rally parents and community members to find solutions to the most pressing issues facing teen girls today including girls’ access to education, fighting childhood marriage and gender inequality. Each Soar Club typically holds at least two Soar Dialogues in their community during their empowerment training. These Dialogues provide the Soar Girls with an opportunity to work from the ground up to raise awareness and drive change towards shifting harmful social norms – because girls deserve to participate in the discussions where decisions are being made about their futures.

2022 Soar Empowerment Facilitators

We are grateful for the tireless efforts of our Soar Facilitators! They are role models who advocate for and empower Soar Girls. They know Soar Girls can be the leaders of today and tomorrow. We appreciate you!

Together, we achieve greatness!

Sukaina

Dalila Imane

Loubna Mariem

Maryem Najia NaoualRajaeSouad

Zina ZinebZohra

Dounia

Afafe

Aïcha

Amina Chaïma

Chayma

Ghizlane

Hafsa

Hajar

Hajar

Hanane

Hasnaa

Ibtissam

Imane

KarimaKhadija

Khadija

Latifa

Radia

Salma

Advocacy

Project Soar, in partnership with Mobilizing for Rights Associates (MRA) and Civil Connections, launched the BIGGER Movement. Our 1st advocacy goal is to close legal loopholes allowing child marriage in Morocco by 2025. A series of BIGGER activities were implemented, including advocacy trainings for Soar Girls, Soar Dialogues in local communities, advocacy trips to Rabat, and a national media campaign. Two delegations of Girl Leaders traveled to Rabat to lobby key stakeholders, including government ministers and parliament members, to amend Articles 20, 21 and 22 of the Moroccan Family Code that allow child marriage.

BIGGER Delegation Meetings

Minister of Justice: Abdellatif Ouahbi

Minister of Social Development, Family, Solidarity: Mme Aawatif Hayar

Minister of Non-Formal Education: Driss El Jouni

Ministry of Youth: Head of Division of Women's Affairs and Childcare, Mme Selma Chetoui

The Authenticité et Modernité (PAM) party

The Istiqlal party: Director Mr. Lahcen Bensasi

The National Rally of Independents (RNI): Regional Representative, Mme Zaina Id hali

SimSim: Executive Director Ismail Ilsouk

UN Women: Gender Equality Project Manager, Aymane Essaidi

ONDH (Observatoire General du developpement humain): Secretary General, Mr El Hassan El Mansouri

The National Human Rights Council of Morocco (CNDH): Advisor to the President, Bouchaib Doulkifel

The Moroccan Organization for Human Rights (OMDH): President, Mr. Hassan El Idrissi and Mme. Amina El Gani, member of the National Council for the Defense of Women's and Child Issues

The People's Action Movement: Vice President, Najwa Koukouss Raji

UNFPA: Mr Luis Mora and Mme Mouna

Embassies of Canada in Morocco, of Norway, of Gambia, of Suriname, of Denmark, of Sweden, of Finland, of Mexico, of Rwanda, of Jordan

90 Hours of Advocacy Training

2 Advocacy Trips by Soar Girl Delegates

20

Advocacy Trips Soar Girl Delegates

20+ Meetings with Stakeholders

-Soumia

5-day training of 20 Soar Girls from 10 locations across Morocco, to empower them with advocacy skills + knowledge of the Family Code and public policy-making

Launching a Petition

Petition against child marriage garners national and international support for closing legal loopholes to child marriage in Morocco by 2025

Check out these BIGGER stories!

20 Trained Girl Leaders train + mobilize teen girls in 10 grassroots locations to serve as local advocates for the BIGGER Movement to end child marriage

A survey on child marriage collects girls' opinions on needed amendments to Articles 20, 21 and 22 of the Family Code in Morocco that still allow for child marriage

Working with Project Soar + MRA, Moroccan teen girl leaders develop proposed amendments to the law to close legal loopholes to child marriage in Morocco

Girls hold community meetings with parents, youth, commune officials + other stakeholders to discuss the problem of child marriage + its negative impact on the community

Conducting Social Media Campaign

BIGGER social media campaign raises public awareness of the problem of child marriage + rallies support

BIGGER Delegation of girl leaders lobby decisionmakers in Rabat to close legal loopholes to child marriage + present their proposed legal amendments

The partnership between Project Soar and the United Nations Population Fund Morocco (UNFPA Maroc) aims to address the crucial problem of teenage girl access to menstrual health and hygiene knowledge and resources in Morocco. The partnership combines our expertise to enhance the wellbeing of underserved Moroccan teen girls. On the occasion of the celebration of the world day of menstrual hygiene, 28th May 2022, UNFPA Maroc and Project Soar organized a workshop under the theme:

"Equality, right to sexual and reproductive health and well-being of women and girls"

There are 3 million adolescent girls and young women in Morocco today. More than half of these girls report being shocked by the onset of their first period. Lack of knowledge about menstrual health is not the only challenge facing teen girls. Stigmas and misconceptions about menstrual health can exclude girls from public spaces, limiting their participation and fulfillment of their potential.

Partnering TeenforGirls 2022

8 master trainers from regions 3 Project Soar trained

Master trainers trained facilitators

12

12 facilitators empowered 60 teen girls short fim produced 1

Project Soar and UNFPA

Maroc partnered to redesign our Soar in a Box kits and improve the Rights module of our empowerment curriculum. This modified curriculum was successfully piloted by trained facilitators in 3 regions across Morocco with 60 teen girls.

Project Soar, in partnership with the Swedish Postcode Foundation, embarked on a pilot program, Girls Soar in Syria (GSS), to support internally displaced and at-risk teen girls in Northwest Syria. With the help of research conducted by partner Untold Research and in collaboration with locallybased Syrian CSOs, the Soar Solution curriculum was adapted to meet the specific needs of these girls. The research phase, which took place from January 2021 to September 2022, involved ten focus groups with parents and internally displaced girls and yielded key findings and recommendations.

Project Soar Impact Baseline and Endline: 99-question evaluation

304 Girls Participated

10 Focus Groups

99 Questions

Results Post Soar Empowerment Program:

97% Believe no one can cross their personal boundaries

96% Understand how to manage menstruation

94% Know the importance of supporting girls

“Project Soar made me a flower blooming among the roses” -Syrian IDP Soar Girl

Girls Soar in Syria is a program aimed at empowering internally displaced and at-risk host community teen girls in NW Syria. The program provides them with a safe space to connect, learn, and develop their leadership skills through an empowerment curriculum adapted to their specific needs. Programming also leads to greater social cohesion between displaced and Syrian host communityteengirls.

Girls Graduated

1

Soar Syria Location

225

Hours of empowerment

132 6

Squads in Syria

As stated in Untold Research’s final evaluation of the project, “The lessons learned through the Project Soar Solution dismantle harmful stereotypes, arcane gender roles, and toxic narratives about what it means to be a girl in this world. Through continued and expanded efforts, Project Soar girls across this war-torn country can learn to shine brightly regardless of the rubble around them.”

Super Girls of Syria

"Super Girls of Syria" global online premiere showcased 5 short movies telling the stories of teen girls from the Girls Soar in Syria program. These short movies were directed by Syrian refugee filmmaker Reem Takriti with cartoonist Eyas Jaafar.

Watch Super Girls of Syria Here

The "Super Girls of Syria" premiere was held online via a Zoom web premiere allowing participants from all over the world to join in and be a part of this inspiring event. The premiere offered an opportunity for the depicted girls to share their stories with a wider audience and to raise awareness about the challenges faced by internally displaced girls in Syria.

The short films offer a glimpse into the girls' lives and the impact of the Soar empowerment program on them. Super Girls of Syria is a reminder that even in the face of adversity, teen girls can achieve great things. The Soar program has provided these girls with tools and support that will help them to succeed. The film series is a tribute to their bravery and courage.

Soar Girls 5 Movie Premiere 1

Partnerships for Syria

The Swedish Postcode Foundation supports projects that promote sustainable development and social justice around the world. The Foundation provides financial support to organizations working on a range of issues, including education, healthcare, and human rights.

Project Soar's partnership with the Swedish Postcode Foundation has allowed us to conduct action-oriented research and build an adapted solution for internally displaced and host community teen girls in Syria.

Takaful Al Sham (TAS) is a Syrian organization that works to promote education and empower youth in Syria. TAS and Project Soar share a common goal of improving the lives of internally displaced and at-risk Syrian teen girls.

The partnership with TAS enables Project Soar to reach a wider audience and to provide more comprehensive support to the girls we serve.

The Blossom Hill Foundation is a nonprofit organization that funds innovative ideas to help children affected by conflict in the Middle East and envisions a world where conflict-affected children thrive.

Our partnership with Blossom Hill is focused on empowering internally displaced and at-risk teen girls in Syria with leadership skills .

6,750 Menstrual shame-free underwear distributed

508 Women Facilitators trained

38,844 Indirect Soar Girls empowered

1,172,049

4,316 Direct Soar Girls empowered Direct Communication outreach

8,706 Direct Donors outreach

16 days of activism

Social media campaign

by photographer Delphine Warin

Girls' empowerment is at the heart of Project Soar. Great change takes time, so we build strong relationships within the communities we serve. Project Soar offers a comprehensive curriculum for empowering teen girls to live in accordance with their personal values. A Soar Girl's confidence, assertiveness, acceptance of her changing body, commitment to securing her rights, and vision for her future- all grow during her time at Project Soar.

Soar Girls becoming Facilitators

Dounia & Chaima

Dounia and her sister Chaima are two of the many exceptional empowerment facilitators at Project Soar, and we are fortunate to have them.

Dounia, age 23, is currently studying to become a nurse, while her sister Chaima, age 18, is pursuing an economics degree at the University of Marrakech. Their relationship with Project Soar began many years ago as beneficiaries, despite their family's initial opposition to their participation in the program, and they quickly became the ones to impart their skills to younger Soar Girls as empowerment facilitators

“My house was not a safe space to express opinions. Project Soar saved me. Now, I am strong and capable of defending myself. “ -

Chaima

“My relationship with my family was horrible because I refused to get married at the age of 16. Project Soar helped me effectively express my opinions to my parents to share why I did not want to get married. It was difficult at first but I was committed. My relationship with my family has improved and I feel so proud and happy. Project Soar has changed my life.” -

Dounia

In their role as facilitators and using the skills they learned in the Project Soar program, Dounia and Chaima confidently address the challenges they face; one example of this is the distance between the Soar Girls homes and program locations. Some girls travel up to two hours to get to their empowerment classes, but they aren't permitted to go alone because their parents are worried about their safety, especially at night, which affects their ability to attend classes.

Dounia and Chaima are working in order to provide them with transportation to and from classes!

Soar star Oumaima

17-year old Oumaima from Guelmim first heard about Project Soar from her philosophy teacher who encouraged her to join. Despite being shy, she enrolled and feels she has "greatly benefitted from the workshops and training!"

Oumaima is a part of the BIGGER Movement, where she advocates to #EndChildMarriage. As a part of the BIGGER delegation she completed an advocacy trip to Rabat, asking government ministers and members of parliament to abolish the laws that still allow for child marriage in Morocco!

"Thanks to BIGGER, I met so many Soar girls from other cities around Morocco, all with different backgrounds and mindsets. Together we are working for positive change. Coming from a remote area like Guelmim, an opportunity like this is like gold!"

Oumaima, also did exceptionally well on her BAC2 exam! As a result, Dr. Loubna Erraji, a member of our board of directors, gifted her a tablet to aid her in completing her higher education journey.

Our impact data demonstrates how committed Soar Girls are to their studies, with 100% of the eligible ones passing their BAC in 2022!

Now, Oumaima is enrolled in her first year of University in Rabat studying agronomy and veterinary medicine!

"I learned how to make my voice heard and fight for my rights!"

$50,000-79,999 Together Women Rise

$15,000-$49,999

Swedish Post Code

Julie and Rogers Weed

The Akharas Foundation - Hadi

Akharas

Blossom Hill Foundation

Trotula Fund

Crossing Borders - CISU Denmark

Civil Connections - CISU Denmark

The Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI)

Global Fund for Women

Global Giving

Jamie Leigh

$1,000 - 14,999

Tracy McColloch

Monica LaTourette

Larry Cooley & Marina Fanning

Michael Scott

Sandra Clinton

Laura Mosedale

Ursula Van Almsick

Erin Lewis - Eat Pray Move

Erika Brechtel

Nataliya Borener

Mija Rajcic - Villanova School

Thierry Marchandt

Mechman Jdeckmanin

Shea Fontana

David Labourdette

Karen Nuccitelli

Cameron Family Foundation

MMontague

Peacock Pavilions

Paypal Giving Fund

Mark Eckman

MCISE

Oak Foundation

Community Foundation

Williams Family Private Foundation

Flanders Frank Family Fund

Housni Chrabi + Air Lease

Corporation Matching

$500 - $999

Katie Elliott

Patricia Anderson

Michelle Goodrich

Linda Lakhahir

Britney Weil

Kathryn T. Greenberg

Susanne Karlander

Annette & Frank Joseph

Nancy Pendarvis Harris

Walter Watson

Loubna Erraji

Jillian Kormstrom

Lalla Zineb El Mazouni

Mannix

Jill Hurd-Germaine van

den Berg

Caitlin Dowe-Sandes

Abury Foundation

Ellen Israel

Gloria Drayer

Susan Eisenberg

Jamie Diamond

Debra Winger

Marina Hammond

Medtronic

American Online Giving Foundation

Donors Our Amazing

Project Soar has expanded core programming and launched new initiatives thanks to our supportive partners and generous contributors. We are particularly grateful for the generous support of the Swedish Postcode Foundation and Blossom Hill, which allowed us to continue to pursue our solution for internally displaced girls in Syria, and for the support of Civil Connections and CISU, for allowing the implementation of the BIGGER Movement.

ProjectSoarstaffandtheSoarGirls aredeeplythankfulfortheheartfelt giftsfromalldonorsof2022.

Indicates a Starling, or monthly donor

Team

Executive Staff

Maryam Montague

Founder & Executive Director

Kaydee Dahlin

Director of Finance & Administration

Board Members

Morocco Board Members

Chris Redecke, President

Larbi Menhebi, Vice President

Loubna Erraji, Vice President

Tala Hadid, Director

Aziz Nahas, Treasurer

Safae Bennani, Secretary

US Board Members

Marina Fanning, President

Sarita Jha, Treasurer

Patrick Benjaminson, Director

Jacqueline Asimwe, Director

Caitlin Dowe-Sandes, Director

Olayide Odediran, Director

Medya Abdulhuseyin, Director

Hadi Akharas, Director

Lalla-Zineb el Mazouni Mannix, Director

HQ Staff

Sarah Mantah Gender Expert

Kaoutar Ait Malek Senior Program Coordinator

Khadija Boulahcen Program Coordinator

Kaoutar Arhenbou Program Coordinator

Warda Bouye Program Coordinator

Aziza El Azizi Program Assistant

Tarik Ahmed Adnani Finance & Administration Manager

Soukaina Naciri Finance Coordinator

Hanane Kharrazi Finance Assistant

Michelle Eaton Development Coordinator

Victoria Di Gaetano

Communications & Development Coordinator

Rita Chraibi

Communications & Development Coordinator

(left to right)

(left to right)

& Financials

OUTGOING EXPENSES - $574,018.41

Soar prendre son envol ﻖﻴﻠﺤﺗ

Call to Action

Teenage girls have the right to pursue their dreams and ambitions, no matter how big or audacious they may seem. They have the right to express themselves without fear of judgment or ridicule. Most importantly, they deserve to demand their rights and be heard.

Teen girls are powerful agents of change, capable of shaking up the status quo and breaking down the barriers that hold them back. So, let's celebrate teen girls' rights and continue to support their brilliance!

By making a donation, YOU can help to improve the world by giving teen girls the skills they need to become the leaders of today and tomorrow.

Contact Us

Rue Hassan II, 42, Gueliz Marrakech, 40060

giveback@projectsoar.org

Follow Us

Facebook: @projectsoar

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Twitter: @projectsoar

LinkedIn: @projectsoar

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Investing in teen girls is investing in the future of the women that they will become!