In Morocco, where 44% of the population are under 20, an estimated 30 000 abandoned children struggle to survive in the streets of the major urban centers. At Salé (a town next to the capital, Rabat), Amesip (Association marocaine d’aide aux enfants en situation précaire – Moroccan association for aide to children in a precarious situation) runs various projects to resocialize these children left to themselves and bereft of their social and family markers. Amesip induces them join one of its seven welcome centers where they are fed, cared for, schooled, oriented toward vocational training, and put back in touch with their families whenever possible. Amesip admits children aged 3 to 18.
A Very Serious “Circus”
At Salé, the Amesip Circus School top quality vocational training to abandoned children to help them build a life as responsible and autonomous adults.
Training children under the big top
A School Unique at Africa
Among the structures managed by Amesip, the circus school that it founded trains 150 odd youths in the various circus professions. Unique in Africa, this school works in partnership with circus professionals abroad, and particularly the École Nationale du Cirque of Annie Fratellini and the management of the Cirque d’hiver in Paris. A number of youths from Salé have already been admitted to the French school to complete their training.
Considering with the large number of children needing help and the quality of the services and care it provides, Amesip is often forced to call on outside donors to balance its budgets. Solicited in its turn, Fondation Veolia Environnement decided to grant it 30 000 euros, aimed to help rebuild the electrical installation of the school’s circus tent. A necessity to ensure that the young fledging artistes can practice in complete safety.
