preschool education support in rural Morocco (ED)

Location: Morocco
Project type: education support
Price from: £2160 - details below

Volunteer to share your childcare and teaching skills in a small preschool in a Berber village in rural Morocco. Help the teacher develop her ideas on learning through play.

Skills required

We work closely with the local people who manage this project, and they have identified their primary volunteer needs.

They would welcome the following skills and volunteer input

Literacy or numeracy skills
Creative arts and crafts
Playbased learning
Special education (including learning support)
Education administration or curriculum development
Hands-on activities (gardening, science, physical education)
Classroom management techniques
Report writing or educational resource development
IT or computer skills
Graphic design (for educational tools or community outreach)

Main project details

Before the establishment of the preschool in Amlougui Village, children received their earliest education at the local mosque, where they learned to memorize the Quran and study Arabic. While this traditional learning remains culturally significant, it does not include academic or play-based development that supports early childhood growth.

To address this gap, the Amlougui Village Preschool was founded in October 2017 by resident, Ibrahim Essoussy. The aim is to provide local children with structured, age-appropriate education in language, maths, and social development, while creating a safe and engaging learning environment.

The preschool currently operates with a single teacher and is financially supported by the Seb Association, which covers the teacher's salary. The school does not currently receive external training or volunteer support, though community members contribute financially (30 dirhams/month per child) to sustain daily operations.

The preschool plays an important role in preparing children for primary school and promoting holistic development. However, limited resources and staffing present ongoing challenges.

Currently (Sept 2025) the school has just 7 children, but their target capacity is 30 children, and in previous years numbers have been higher. The low numbers are due to the fact that some families have moved away to Marrakech or other large towns as their older children have reached seconday school age, and where more work opportunities are available. The preschool is one of several initiatives in the village designed to provide employment and educational opportunities and to preserve the local Amazigh cultural heritage which it is hoped will encourage families to stay locally, and you can contribute towards this aim by supporting the preschool teacher as she aims to provide high quality learning opportunities for the youngest children of the village.

Children who attend the preschool are between 4 to 6 years of age. There is no governement curriculum for this age range, allowing the teacher to focus on activities tailored to suit individual children's interests and needs. At the age of 6 children move on to the primary school in the village.

The school has 3 classrooms (2 large, 1 small), decorated in natural earth tones suitable for the surrounding environment and built out of natural materials which keep the rooms cool in summer and warm in winter. The classrooms have colourful tables and chairs suitable for children of this age. There are some toys, books and school supplies donated by the funders. Outside there is space for the children to play, with a small amount of play equipment, with trees for shade and fenced to keep the children safe.

Opening hours are 13.00 - 17.00 Monday to Friday, during school term times.

There is also a plan to provide after-school activities at the school for older children (up to age 11), and any volunteer help to plan and run a programme of appropriate activities (e.g. art and crafts, sports) would be very welcome. There may also be scope to work one to one with children needing or wanting extra support.

To learn about how the volunteer programme works with this project read more here.

Context

Amlougui village is situated in the Ourika Valley, about 60 miles south of Marrakech, which winds its way through the foothills of the Atlas Mountains up to the High Atlas. The High Atlas features some of the most beautiful regions of Morocco. These mountains are the highest in the area, with Toubkal reaching to 4165 metres above sea level.

The people living in the tiny villages scattered across the mountains on either side of the valley are Berber people who form 80% of Morocco’s population. Though there are now more than 1400 different tribes there is one thing all Berbers agree on: ‘Where there is water there is life.’ The river careering through the Ourika Valley drew the nearly 30,000 residents here with its life-giving sustenance. In spring the valley is green and lush, animals happily graze the land while their owners scythe and stack long grass for the coming dry months.

The official language of the Berbers is Tachlhit, though most also speak Darija, a Moroccan dialect combining elements of Arabic, Tamazight and Spanish.

The Berbers are some of the most warm and welcoming people in the Kingdom of Morocco.

Morocco is a country in transition and with an increasing proportion of youth. Slow but steady economic growth has helped reduce poverty rates, but, in most rural communities, there is still real economic poverty and a dearth of available opportunities for education. Education is compulsory from age 6 to 15, but despite high enrolment in primary school challenges remain, particularly in rural areas and for girls, due to issues such as distance to schools and lower literacy rates. School dropout rates are high in Morocco (about 10%), partularly at middle school level (age 11-14). Literacy rates have improved in the past few years, but remain low for women and girls, at about 57 per cent, and are much lower in the rural areas.

If you have skills in education, childcare or community work, are retired or in work and looking for a career break, you can share your skills and experience with local staff in this project which provides child development support. Other skills and experience will be welcomed too - take a look at the list of needs, as identified by the project, near the top of this page. You can play your part in responsible volunteer projects abroad.

Minimum duration

4 weeks minimum

Living Conditions

You will have 2 options for accommodation in the village - Amlougui House or The Womens Cooperative Guest House

Amlougui House

Amlougui House is the family home of our Local Partner Ibrahim and the guest house is run by him and his family. On the top floor of his home is a guest accommodation for volunteers and visitors that he takes to trips up the mountains.

Amlougui House is located in Amlougui village within Ourika Valley. It is a simple, clean, and comfortable place to stay during your time. All 3 bedrooms are classically decorated with amazing design. It is only a few minutes walk from the preschool, a 5 minute drive to Setti Fadma, and 67 km from Marrakech. The terrace view is spectacular! Their food and hospitality is highly rated. The cost of accommodation in Amlougui Guest House is included in the placement costs – our local partners will make the bookings.

Women’s Cooperative Guest House

Currently, a 2 bedroom apartment is being constructed on the third floor of the Women’s Cooperative due to be completed by the end of 2025 which will have 2 private rooms, a small kitchen, a bathroom with a toilet and shower, and a refrigerator.

If you decide to stay at the 2 bedroom flat above the women’s cooperative, meals can be prepared by a local woman for an extra fee. You also have the option of cooking for yourself in the kitchen.

Please note: From the bottom of village to the preschool and guest house, it is a 5-10 minute walk uphill – but not too steep!

Project costs

From £2,167 for 4 weeks in a locally owned guest house (based on a conversion rate of 1.13 Euros to £1)

Read about our costs and pricing policy here

Watch an explanatory interview with programme director Sallie Grayson

Please note returning volunteers qualify for a 25% for project management and matching fees

Additional weeks are costed at a sliding reducing rate

Please note these costs are correct to the best of our knowledge but can only be confirmed at time of booking due to changes in transport and taxes outside our control.

Included: full board accommodation (Monday - Friday) in private bedroom with shared living and bathroom facilities, airport transfers, full local orientation, local SIM card, project & placement liaison

Your project donation will be used for the purchase of essential equipment for the preschool.

How your money is spent based on 4 weeks:

Euro 1660 - direct costs in Morocco (airport transfers, accommodation, orientation)

Euro 100 - project management, liaison & supervision in Morocco

Euro 400 - project donation in Morocco

£260 - recruitment, matching & project development in UK

Not included: flights, insurance, visa costs, lunch and dinner at weekends, any weekend trips, personal expenses such as phone calls, data packages for smartphones, medical expenses, etc.

If you or your friends and family wish to make further donations to this project please contact us at sallie@travel-peopleandplaces.co.uk