World Connect

Young Women's Agricultural Cooperative

Year: 2012

Country: Morocco

Project Status: Funded

Impact Sector: Economic Opportunity

Project Investment: $2,941.18

Project Launch: 10-31-12

Nearly 50% of Moroccan youth between the ages of 15 and 29 are neither in school nor employed, and it is easy to see in the town of Imouzzer-Kandar, nestled in the Middle Atlas Mountains. Most youth work menial labor jobs when they are available and make below living wages. These youth, especially the young women, have a pressing need for work, but without quality job offers from established businesses they face the challenge of entrepreneurship.

Working with their local Peace Corps Volunteer and with World Connect, a group of twenty young women will be embarking on a livelihoods project focused on raising goats and selling goat milk for profit. These young women will each raise goats at their respective households, ensuring their families have access to the nutritious milk, and will work together to build a business around selling the goats' milk.

Final Report: 4-8-13

The women are raising the goats and selling the milk locally within their community. Due to high rainfall and lots of sunshine, there has been an extraordinary growth of planted forage for the goats to eat, allowing them to get proper nutrition and grow at a healthy rate. Community members are excited about this project as it has promoted youth entrepreneurship and provided the community with a nutritious source of milk.