Co-funded by the European Union & Anna Lindh Foundation

Maroc Digital Initiative

مبادرة المغرب الرقمي

Final Project Report  ·  Beni Mellal–Khenifra, Morocco  ·  2025–2026

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Applications received
0
Participants selected
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Forum attendees
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Target categories
Impact in Numbers

Six Months of Field Action

Implemented in the Beni Mellal–Khenifra region within the Mediterranean Youth in Action (MYA) programme, co-funded by the European Union.

188
Applications received
89
Participants selected across 4 categories
5
Activities fully implemented
4
In-person capacity building workshops
4
Online learning modules delivered
4
Expert mentors engaged
101
Attended the closing forum
2
Guides registered at the National Library
Post-Programme Evaluation

Results by Category

89 participants across four categories — Evaluation data collected across all activities with participant consent for anonymous use in programme reporting.

Training Quality Ratings (avg / 5)

Digital Safety
3.2 / 5
Journalism Ethics ★
4.2 / 5
Combating Misinformation
3.5 / 5
Session Interaction
3.7 / 5
Mentor & Trainer Quality ★
4.5 / 5

Content Relevance

78.6%Very relevant
21.4%Somewhat relevant

Most Impactful Skill

78.6%Source verification
14.3%Publishing ethics

Content Quality Improvement

35.7%Very noticeable
57.1%Noticeable

Ethical Practice in Digital Journalism

Distinguishing accurate vs. misleading information
4.0 / 5
Neutrality & source verification
3.9 / 5
Legal & ethical publishing considerations
3.9 / 5

Key Takeaways

"Journalism ethics, distinguishing media genres, and information verification techniques"
"How to find reliable information and verify it — plus professional ethics"
"Modern digital tools for media production and critical thinking"
"A meaningful opportunity to exchange experiences with the trainer and fellow participants"

Suggested Topics for Future Editions

🤖 AI in Journalism
📊 Data Journalism
📱 Multimedia Storytelling
🛡️ Advanced Digital Security
🔍 Investigative Journalism
📡 Local & Regional Digital Press

Training Quality Ratings (avg / 5)

Digital Content Creation
3.8 / 5
Personal Branding
3.2 / 5
Digital Content Ethics ★
4.1 / 5
Practicality of Digital Tools
3.8 / 5
Mentor & Trainer Quality ★
4.6 / 5

New Skills Acquired

83.3%Many varied new skills
16.7%Some new skills

Most Beneficial Tool

83.3%Video editing tools
16.7%Analytics tools

Applying Content Ethics

66.7%Regularly & consistently
16.7%Sometimes

Career Impact Ratings

Content quality improvement ★
4.2 / 5
Audience engagement growth
3.7 / 5
Personal digital identity
3.7 / 5
Ethical responsibility ★
4.7 / 5

Key Takeaways

"Learning content creation professionally — idea selection, organisation, filming & editing techniques"
"Motivation and the initial push — the most important thing in content creation"
"Thinking before posting and organising content consistently"
"Building a personal identity as a content creator and boosting self-confidence"

Training Quality Ratings (avg / 5)

Digital Institutional Communication
3.8 / 5
Digital Advocacy Strategies
3.5 / 5
Fundraising & Partnership Marketing
3.3 / 5
Relevance to NGO Needs
3.5 / 5
Mentor & Trainer Quality ★
4.1 / 5

Change in Digital Communication Strategy

27.3%Fundamentally changed
45.5%Partially changed
27.3%In implementation

Where Skills Were Applied

72.7%Social media management
36.4%Internal governance
27.3%Campaigns & reports

Organisational Impact Ratings

Strengthened digital presence
3.3 / 5
Audience communication strategy
3.4 / 5
Digital advocacy capacity
3.2 / 5
Funded partnership building
3.1 / 5

Key Takeaways

"The need for civil society to open up to the digital world while respecting digital ethics"
"Strengthening members' capacities in governance, project management and planning"
"Practical tools for teamwork organisation, task distribution and communication"
"Improving both internal and external communication and building its foundations"

Training Quality Ratings (avg / 5)

Digital Marketing for Products
3.1 / 5
E-commerce & Digital Platforms
3.0 / 5
Digital Visual Identity
3.1 / 5
Relevance to Cooperative Needs ★
3.8 / 5
Mentor & Trainer Quality
3.6 / 5

Skill Application

40%Partially applied
60%In planning phase

Most Beneficial Area

40%Social media pages
20%Product photography
20%Digital advertising

Economic Impact Ratings

Strengthened digital presence
2.5 / 5
Expanded customer base
2.3 / 5
Improved product marketing
2.5 / 5
New digital revenue channels
2.2 / 5

Key Takeaways & Barriers

"How to use social media and create content that markets the cooperative"
"Encouragement to be patient and persistent in digital marketing"
"Gathering more information about customers and e-commerce mechanisms"
"Main barriers: limited equipment, need for continuous hands-on training"
Implementation Journey

Five Activities, One Vision

A sequenced programme designed so each activity built directly on the previous one — from diagnosis to community celebration.

ACTIVITY 01 · January 2026
Needs Assessment & Stakeholder Mapping
Three open calls via social media. 188 applications reviewed. 89 participants selected across four categories. Online plenary diagnostic session (18:00–20:00) onboarded all participants. Four coordinators and four expert mentors recruited and assigned per category.
ACTIVITY 02 · February 2026
In-Person Capacity Building Workshops
Four full-day sector-specific workshops covering digital safety, journalism ethics, digital marketing, and personal branding. Pre- and post-evaluation administered to measure knowledge gains and inform subsequent activities.
ACTIVITY 03 · March 2026
Online Learning Modules
Four online modules developed as a continuation of the workshops, incorporating evaluation data to address specific participant needs in a focused, self-paced format. Pre- and post-evaluation conducted per module.
ACTIVITY 04 · April 2026
Mentorship Programme
Four expert mentors, four groups, minimum four sessions each (3+ hours per group). Skills applied in real-world scenarios. Each group produced a tangible final deliverable: toolkits, short videos, or social media mini-campaigns.
ACTIVITY 05 · 24 April 2026
Maroc Digital Forum — Closing Event
101 attendees at the Cultural Centre of Beni Mellal. Two expert panels: project outcomes & future perspectives; and thematic expert interventions. Maroc Digital Guides presented — 2 registered with the National Library of Morocco, 2 pending approval. Certification ceremony for all participants, trainers, panellists, and the organising team.
Knowledge Outputs

The Maroc Digital Guides

Four practical guides produced for the programme's target groups — designed as lasting resources beyond the duration of the initiative.

✓ Registered
Digital Guide for Journalists
Officially registered with the National Library of Morocco. Covers digital safety, source verification, journalism ethics, and combating misinformation.
✓ Registered
Digital Guide for Content Creators
Officially registered with the National Library of Morocco. Covers personal branding, ethical content creation, video fundamentals, and audience growth.
⏳ Pending Approval
Digital Guide for NGOs & Associations
Under review. Covers institutional communication, digital advocacy strategies, and partnership marketing.
⏳ Pending Approval
Digital Guide for Cooperatives
Under review. Covers digital marketing for products, e-commerce platforms, and building a cooperative's online visual identity.
Partnerships & Collaboration

Our Partners

Implemented in active collaboration with a wide network of civil society, institutional, and media partners across the region.

🏛️ Funder & Programme Framework
European UnionCo-funded by the European Union
Anna Lindh FoundationAnna Lindh Foundation
Mediterranean Youth in ActionMediterranean Youth in Action
🤝 NGO Partners
Ayadi Al AtaaAyadi Al Ataa
Al MobadaraAl Mobadara
American TESOLAmerican TESOL Academy
Legacy InternationalLegacy International
🏢 Institutional Partners
Commune de Beni MellalMunicipality of Beni Mellal
Equality CouncilEquality, Equal Opportunity & Gender Council
Regional Directorate of CultureRegional Directorate of Culture · Cultural Centre BMK
Agricultural ChamberAgricultural Chamber of BMK
📰 Media Partners
Milafat TadlaMilafat Tadla
KlamkomKlamkom.com
Nouh Bahadda
Main Implementer
Nouh Bahadda
President, Youth Collective Impact Foundation · MYA Grantee
"Being part of the Transformative Youth in Action Program within the MYA project was a turning point for me and our foundation. Through Maroc Digital, we strengthened our organisation, improved our advocacy and project management, and built a strong network of young people, mentors, and partners committed to digital inclusion and youth empowerment. What I value most about the ALF program is its belief in youth leadership. They supported me from idea to implementation, helped strengthen my leadership skills, and gave us the confidence to advocate for our community at institutional and international levels. Today, I see Maroc Digital as the start of a larger vision for lasting change in our communities."

Nouh Bahadda is a Moroccan social activist, journalist, and digital empowerment advocate from Beni Mellal. With academic backgrounds in English Studies and Journalism, he has dedicated his work to promoting digital literacy, media ethics, freedom of speech, and access to accurate information. Since 2020, he has trained and empowered more than 226 young people — including journalist trainees, content creators, and civil society actors — through initiatives focused on digital skills, civic engagement, and social innovation.

Nouh is the President of Youth Collective Impact Foundation and the Vice President of the Union of NGOs of Beni Mellal-Khenifra, where he collaborates with local and international partners on projects related to youth leadership, democracy, accessibility, and community development. He is the founder of the Maroc Digital initiative, a programme aimed at strengthening digital capacities among journalists, cooperatives, NGOs, and content creators while contributing to the achievement of the United Nations SDGs.

His advocacy efforts include leading a major accessibility campaign for people with disabilities, which contributed to securing significant municipal funding in Morocco to improve accessibility and inclusion. He is also actively involved in advocacy related to urban infrastructure and the preservation of the cultural heritage of Beni Mellal.

Throughout his journey, Nouh has participated in several international programmes and exchanges focused on democracy, media integrity, intercultural dialogue, and cancer awareness. He continues to develop initiatives that bridge technology, education, and community impact — with a vision of fostering a more inclusive, informed, and digitally empowered society.

Voices from the Field

What Participants Said

Direct reflections from participants, coordinators, and foundation leadership.

Journalists Track

"I benefited greatly from this programme — especially in understanding journalism ethics, the differences between media genres, and mastering source verification techniques. It also gave me modern digital tools for media production and sharpened my critical thinking."

Salima Laabassi
Participant · Journalists Track
Content Creators Track

"This programme gave me the practical tools and confidence I needed to create content that truly reflects my values and my community. Learning content creation professionally — from idea selection to filming and editing — transformed how I work."

Abdo Madihi
Participant · Content Creators Track
NGOs / Associations Track

"The training on institutional communication and digital advocacy directly impacted how we position our association online. We now have a clearer voice and better tools to engage our community and partners."

Hicham Benha
Participant · NGOs & Associations Track
Cooperatives Track

"Before this programme, we had no clear digital strategy for our cooperative. After the workshops and mentorship sessions, I was able to build our online presence and reach new customers. The encouragement to be patient and persistent made a real difference."

Raoua Chmakh
Participant · Cooperatives Track
Reflection & Learning

Lessons Learned & Challenges

Key Lessons
🎯
Needs-based design is essential. The diagnostic session was decisive in tailoring all training content to real skill levels and expectations per category.
👥
One coordinator per category = better engagement. Dedicated coordinators significantly improved communication, follow-up rates, and participation quality.
🔗
Sequencing reinforces learning. The flow from diagnosis → workshops → online modules → mentorship created a coherent, self-reinforcing learning journey.
🌉
Mentorship bridges theory and practice. The most impactful activity in terms of skill application — directly connecting learning to real participant-led outputs.
🏛️
Community events generate institutional momentum. The Forum attracted ministry and municipal representatives, creating visibility far beyond the core participant base.
📚
Official recognition amplifies sustainability. Registration of 2 guides with the National Library gives the initiative lasting institutional legitimacy and replicability.
Challenges & Responses
ChallengeResponse
Heterogeneous baseline skill levels across categoriesCategory-specific curriculum design informed by Activity 1 diagnostic data
Coordinating four groups simultaneouslyDedicated coordinator per category managed individual logistics and follow-up
Sustaining engagement across 5 activitiesOutput delivery exercise created sustained accountability through mentorship
Translating digital skills into economic results for cooperativesIdentified need for follow-up practical field workshops post-programme
Securing institutional validation for knowledge outputsFormal submission of 2 Maroc Digital Guides to the National Library of Morocco
Project Team

Category Coordinators

Four dedicated coordinators were recruited and assigned — one per participant category — to manage follow-up, logistics, and activity facilitation throughout the programme.

Ghzala Agourzi
Ghzala Agourzi
Coordinator
NGOs & Associations
Abdessalam Mrabt
Abdessalam Mrabt
Coordinator
Journalists
Hiba Ben Khouya
Hiba Ben Khouya
Coordinator
Cooperatives
Abdessamad El Menouar
Abdessamad El Menouar
Coordinator
Content Creators
Expert Mentors

Programme Mentors

Four sector experts selected for their professional experience and geographic proximity to the Beni Mellal–Khenifra region, each guiding one participant group through the mentorship programme.

Oussama Bajji
Oussama Bajji
Expert Mentor
Journalism
Kenza Sammoud
Kenza Sammoud
Expert Mentor
NGOs & Mass Communication
Majda Dalal
Majda Dalal
Expert Mentor
Digital Marketing · Cooperatives
Hamza Bouksim
Hamza Bouksim
Expert Mentor
Content Creation