Article written by the Al Nada Association for the reception and rehabilitation of women in difficult situations in January 2026, as part of the “A Life of Success” project carried out with the support of FAME. The FAME project is run in Morocco by Geres and funded by the French Development Agency.
In the neighbourhoods of Jnanat Znata and its surroundings, particularly Ain Harouda and Chellalate, women face multiple challenges in accessing economic opportunities and integrating socially. Between economic insecurity, social isolation and lack of access to training, many see their dreams and ambitions remain unfulfilled.
But today, a wind of change is blowing through these neighbourhoods. Thanks to the “A Life of Success” project, new stories are being written: stories of a transition from darkness to light, from isolation to entrepreneurship, and from dreams to reality.
The “A Life of Success” project aims to empower these women economically and socially through an integrated and holistic approach that addresses their multidimensional needs. The programme is based on four essential pillars:
Vocational training: Practical workshops enable participants to acquire concrete technical skills, particularly in sewing, crafts and manufacturing. These training courses are tailored to the needs of the local market and the aspirations of the women.
Support for entrepreneurship: Beyond technical learning, the project cultivates a true entrepreneurial mindset. Women learn how to develop their projects, manage a micro-enterprise, market their products and build their customer base.
Psychological support: Recognising that empowerment also requires mental well-being, the project offers a space for listening and psychological support to help women overcome their traumas, gain confidence and believe in their abilities.
Life skills development: Workshops on communication, public speaking, time management, and conflict resolution enable participants to develop cross-cutting skills that are essential to their personal and professional fulfilment.
Success stories: Inspiring journeys
Mi Bahria: From a childhood dream to a thriving business in Ain Harouda
Since her childhood in Ain Harouda, Mi Bahria had nurtured a simple but profound dream: to sit behind a sewing machine and create dresses that combined beauty and cultural identity. She imagined designs that would tell stories, showcasing local heritage while embracing modernity. But for many years, family responsibilities, economic constraints and a lack of opportunities prevented her from realising this aspiration.
Her involvement in the “A Life of Success” project marked a radical turning point in her life. In the workshops, she not only mastered modern sewing techniques and professional finishing touches, but also learned to develop her own creative style. Her designs, which harmoniously combine traditional patterns and contemporary cuts, quickly won over the women in her neighbourhood.
The financial and technical support provided by the project enabled her to purchase her own professional sewing machine and set up a small workshop in her home. Today, Mi Bahria is no longer just a talented seamstress: she has become a true entrepreneur who manages her orders, sets her prices, negotiates with her suppliers and develops her customer base.
Her workshop has become a meeting place and source of inspiration for other women who also dream of turning their passion into a source of income. Mi Bahria willingly shares her experience and encourages her neighbours to join the project. “I realised that my dream could become my strength,” she says emotionally. “Today, I no longer depend on anyone, and I contribute to my family’s expenses. But above all, I feel alive and useful.”
Photo of Mi-Bahria
Mrs M.: From cultural exile to inspirational figure
Madame M.’s story powerfully illustrates the complex challenges of cultural and social integration. Originally from a Berber region where she lived surrounded by her Amazigh community, Madame M. had to leave her familiar environment and move to an urban area due to difficult family circumstances.
Her arrival in a new neighbourhood marked the beginning of a long period of isolation. Faced with significant language barriers and different cultural codes, she felt profoundly alienated in her own country. She was unfamiliar with the Darija language, urban customs seemed impenetrable to her, and she could not find a space where she could truly be herself. Gradually, she withdrew into herself, avoiding social interactions and living in oppressive solitude.
The “Une Vie de Réussite” (A Life of Success) project marked a turning point in her journey. When she first walked through the doors of the association, she was shy, hesitant, and barely spoke. But the welcoming and inclusive atmosphere of the project, as well as the presence of other women sharing similar experiences, gradually freed her to speak.
Through intercultural communication workshops, group activities, and psychological support sessions, Ms. M. not only improved her command of the Darija language, but also forged genuine friendships with other participants. These new relationships boosted her self-confidence and allowed her to rediscover her own worth.
The woman who once lowered her eyes and barely whispered has become a strong voice within the group. She actively participates in organising activities, speaks at meetings, and shares her experience with newcomers to encourage and guide them. Her journey is particularly inspiring to women who, like her, are experiencing cultural uprooting.
“In this project, I found much more than professional training,” she explains emotionally. “I found a family, a space where I can be myself without judgement, and I discovered that my cultural difference is not a weakness but a treasure that I can share with others.”
Today, Ms M. is also developing her own micro-enterprise project in traditional Amazigh crafts, thus creating a magnificent bridge between her two cultural identities.
From isolation to entrepreneurial thinking: A revolution in attitudes
The “Une Vie de Réussite” project does not just teach a trade or pass on technical skills. Its real strength lies in its ability to bring about a profound change in attitudes and cultivate a genuine entrepreneurial spirit among the participants.
In working-class neighbourhoods, women do not have the opportunity to express their needs and aspirations, and as a result, they are often not seen as actors in their own choices, but as beneficiaries of the assistance offered to them. These stereotypes permeate their own vision of themselves. The project completely changes this vision. Participants learn to see themselves differently: no longer as people who need help, but as true
entrepreneurs capable of creating their own businesses, making their own decisions and participating in the development of their neighbourhoods. In concrete terms, this transformation takes place in several dimensions:
Learning about marketing and communication: Women discover how to identify their potential customers, how to present their products in an attractive way, and how to use social media and word of mouth to increase their visibility.
Basic financial management: They learn how to calculate their production costs, set fair and profitable prices, manage their income and expenses, and save to grow their business.
Developing a professional network: The project encourages participants to connect with other women entrepreneurs, collaborate, and exchange advice and opportunities. This collective dimension is essential for breaking isolation and creating a dynamic of mutual support.
Problem solving and innovation: Women are encouraged to identify unmet needs in their neighbourhoods, propose creative solutions, and continually adapt their offerings to market demands.
Confidence: Perhaps most importantly, the project works on self-confidence and the ability to take risks. Participants learn to overcome their fears, take calculated risks, and persevere in the face of obstacles.
This transformation from “beneficiary” to “economic actor” is at the very heart of the project. It represents a true personal and social revolution for women who have often internalised messages of devaluation.
An impact that extends far beyond individuals
The stories of Mi Bahria, Madame M. and dozens of other project participants are not exceptional or isolated cases. They are living, concrete examples of the power of empowerment when combined with real opportunities and appropriate, ongoing and supportive assistance.
“A Life of Success” has not only changed the economic reality of these women in Jnanat Znata and its surroundings: it has profoundly transformed their relationship with themselves, their families and their society.
With the right conditions, opportunities and support, women from working-class neighbourhoods can not only escape poverty, but also become real forces for change for themselves and their communities. From the shadows to the light, they are now writing their own success stories.
