Supporting Special Needs Children and Youth in Morocco

The non-profit organization Enfants du Paradis (AEP) is committed to the integration and equal opportunities of people with intellectual disabilities and offers various services tailored to the needs of the beneficiaries.

AEP supports families with diagnosis as well as rehabilitation and therapeutic measures to support individuals with intellectual disabilities from early childhood to professional life. The aim is to provide beneficiaries with a better quality of life, individual autonomy, social integration, and equality in career development.

In 2023, AEP supported 143 people, of whom 73 had mild to moderate intellectual disabilities and 70 were living with Down syndrome.

AEP operates the following programs:

Enfants du Paradis HADANA:

Hadana means "peace" or "serenity". The program includes admission, parental counseling, and early intervention from birth to 6 years old. Individual sessions with parents aim to provide educational support in areas such as psychomotor skills, stimulation, language, special education, physiotherapy, and autonomy.

Enfants du Paradis MADRASSA:

Madrassa means "school". The program provides specialized care in regular schools for children aged 6 to 10 years and promotes children in cognitive, educational, expressive, social, and sports areas as well as leisure activities.

Enfants du Paradis TAKOUINE:

Takouine means "training". It focuses on learning, integration, and adapted training for adolescents aged 14 to 20 years. Workshops provide an introduction to the chosen profession. School education continues, knowledge for autonomous living is imparted, and there are leisure activities.

Enfants du Paradis KHADMA:

Khadma means "work" and provides support in job placement for young adults aged 18 and above. AEP maintains partnerships with companies that hire people with disabilities and organizes internships with these companies that serve as an orientation to the respective work field. School education continues, and there are leisure activities.

The services of Enfants du Paradis include:

• Psychopedagogical support for individuals aged 6 to 30 with intellectual disabilities.
• Early intervention for children with psycho-affective, neurological, and psychomotor disorders.
• Basic elementary education and schooling to promote school integration.
• Vocational training to promote socio-professional integration.
• Collaboration with ministries and national and international organizations in all areas related to people with intellectual disabilities.
• Awareness-raising in Morocco for teachers, institutions, and the public on the subject of intellectual disabilities.
• Counseling for parents of intellectually disabled children.

Enfants du Paradis operates year-round except for the summer months of July and August.

The association has 33 full-time employees, including 14 educators and 9 education assistants, as well as administrative staff. As part-timers, a psychologist, a speech therapist, a physiotherapist, a psychomotor therapist, a sports teacher, and a cooking course instructor work with Enfants du Paradis. Additionally, about 60 local volunteers support the organization.

25% of the individuals supported by the organization are aged 0-9, 60% are aged 10-20, 10% are aged 20-30, and 5% are over 30.

Your tasks as a Volunteer or Intern 

Volunteers without specific expertise in relevant areas engage with young children by assisting with activities such as feeding and practicing movement. They can also engage with older children and adolescents in drawing, music, cooking, computer use, sports, dancing, and other activities that stimulate creativity and develop senses, as well as provide language instruction. Volunteers can also participate in extracurricular activities organized by the association, such as excursions and tours. Volunteers with expertise in the areas of Enfants du Paradis' activities can contribute according to their knowledge. Supervised internships in relevant fields are also possible.