It all began with an idea conceived by two science communication students, Lilou and Romane, known as MédimoiMaroc. Their project: to travel the length and breadth of Morocco’s coastline to raise awareness among young people about marine biodiversity, armed with curiosity, energy and a genuine desire to make a difference. When they presented their initiative to us, we immediately wanted to support them.
In practical terms, we provided them with the equipment needed to run ‘Test your Science’, our flagship course which enables pupils to collect and interpret aquatic data just like real scientists. We also put them in touch with the House of Philosophy in Casablanca, which took care of much of the logistics to make this community-led trip possible. A three-way partnership, working towards a shared goal: to maximise our impact and embed nature education beyond our borders.
Step 1 — Tetouan
The adventure begins in the city of Tetouan. Lilou and Romane are running four sessions there:
Two classes from the Ahmed Boukmakh School gather on Azla beach for a ‘Mesure ta Science’ session, complemented by the ‘Plankton Detective’ game — with sardines, plankton and food chains on the agenda. Meanwhile, a morning session at the Alam Al Ouiam School raises awareness amongst another class of the importance of sardines in Morocco’s marine ecosystem. And to reach a wider audience, a day at the Faculty of Science during the ‘Knowledge for Conservation’ Biodiversity Day brought together teachers, researchers, PhD students and undergraduates to explore our educational resources.
120 pupils and around 50 members of the academic community were made aware of marine biodiversity.
Step 2 — Casablanca
Off to Casablanca for a larger-scale event. Six classes took part in the ‘Test your Science’ workshop – 180 pupils in total – learning how to collect and interpret aquatic data. The highlight of this event was a morning spent with SOS Children’s Villages, made possible thanks to an educator who provided translation into Arabic, enabling 12 children to enjoy the experience to the full.
Step 3 — Essaouira & Agadir
For their final stop, the pair head south. In Essaouira, secondary school pupils take part in ‘Test your Science’ and go a step further: in class, they observe the zooplankton samples collected during their field trip, linking the field experience to scientific understanding. The discussions with the facilitators about their journey are rich and spontaneous.
It is on Imourane beach that the Al Hanane School Group from Agadir takes part in the ‘Mesure ta Science’ activity — around fifteen pupils aged 13 to 16, with their feet in the sand, are set to experience the activity for themselves.
In total, 30 pupils took part in this final stage, bringing the total number of children reached by Sow my Dream in Morocco to 330.
A result that has exceeded our expectations
What moves us about this adventure is the proof that our resources can travel, adapt to very different contexts and forge connections with living things wherever they go. Supporting Lilou and Romane also meant placing our trust in a new generation of committed educators, capable of conveying a powerful message with few resources but a great deal of heart.
This partnership has come to an end, but the story is only just beginning. 🌊