Project soar wins UNESCO award for supporting girls education in Morocco

Project Soar, a non-profit organization based in Marrakesh, Morocco, helps girls overcome barriers to education through a mentorship program.

The organization addresses a gap where nearly one-quarter of adolescents in Morocco do not attend school. While Morocco has improved school attendance rates since 2000, girls in rural areas still face obstacles such as long travel distances, high costs for supplies, and social pressures like early marriage. The organization trains local women to serve as mentors for girls in their communities.

These mentors use the "Soar in a Bag" program, which provides materials for 25 workshops conducted in Arabic and English. The sessions help girls build self-confidence, learn about their legal rights, and develop future plans. The workshops also cover health topics and provide girls with reusable menstrual products. Project Soar also creates "Soar Clubs" where girls can develop their own ideas and take on responsibilities.

The mentors meet with parents and teachers to discuss issues like child marriage and sexual harassment. Because of these efforts, UNESCO awarded the organization a prize in October 2026. The UNESCO reports that 97.5 percent of participating girls passed their school year in 2025 and 99 percent did not enter into child marriages during that period.