Princess Lalla Asmaa, President of the Lalla Asmaa Foundation, inaugurated, on Monday in Meknes, the “Princess Lalla Asmaa” Center, a regional hub of excellence for a comprehensive and entirely free of charge care for hearing- impaired children from neighbouring cities and communes.
This Center, the third major structuring establishment of the inclusive model deployed by the Lalla Asmaa Foundation following those already operational in Rabat and Tangier, forms part of the enlightened vision of King Mohammed VI, placing inclusion, dignity and fairness at the heart of the Kingdom’s development. It also embodies the continued and deeply human commitment of Princess Lalla Asmaa, whose daily work changes the lives of thousands of children.
The new Center follows 56 preschool pupils up to the sixth grade of elementary school. The majority of these pupils suffer from deep hearing loss, which reinforces the need of comprehensive care combining education, sign language, orthophony and social support.
Similarly, thirty young trainees are currently enrolled in training in hairdressing, cutting, sewing, or as assistant cooks in the Center’s workshops. These training courses are supervised by trainers from the Office for Vocational Training and Employment Promotion (OFPPT) and enable hearing impaired young people to learn a rewarding trade and prepare for their integration into the job market.
The Center also includes a training room for parents and a speech therapy session led by a speech therapist deployed by the ministry of Health and Social Protection, a sickroom and readaptation areas. This facility allows for a complete care covering learning, communication, personal development and psychological support.
The Meknes Center differs from those in Rabat and Tangier in that it has a boarding school that can accommodate children from remote communities, thereby ensuring equal opportunities. The boarding school, which can accommodate 16 children (eight double rooms), responds to a geographical reality: many families live far from the Center and cannot ensure daily transportation. Thanks to the boarding school, these children can now enjoy a stable, structured, and continuous education, regardless of distance.
The Center, which also hosts a playground, a sports field and adapted external areas, is not only a privileged place for learning, but also a space of living, socializing and flourishing.
The Center will also allow for a technical follow-up for children having benefited from cochlear implants. A specialized team will intervene to proceed with the necessary verifications, reprogramming, repairs and replacements. This follow-up guarantees that the full potential of the cochlear implant will be restored so that each child can benefit from optimal sound perception.
During the inauguration ceremony, Princess Lalla Asmaa followed artistic activities before attending a Basketball game, led by Nezha Bidouane, President of the Royal Moroccan Federation for Sport for All.
Through such initiatives, the Lalla Asmaa Foundation strives to establish a structured, dedicated network to meet the real needs of hearing-impaired children. This nationwide network, bolstered by inclusive schools and diagnostic centers for babies, is gradually being rolled out to ensure equal access to education and healthcare, with cochlear implants provided free of charge.
Unique in the world, this Moroccan model, now developed in the MENA region, Africa, and South America, has become an international benchmark that inspires 21 countries.
Moreover, the Meknes Center fully embodies this vision and marks a new stage in the construction of a country where every child can learn, grow and find their place.
