For the first time, the American Language Center in Rabat will be offering a Via Lingua TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certificate course.

Via Lingua is one of the world’s largest TEFL certification providers, and our TEFL course is one of the most thorough and up-to-date in the world today. Including 120 hours of expert tuition and 10 hours of teaching practice, the TEFL course exceeds international standards for TEFL certification. To guarantee the highest academic standards, the course is externally moderated by Hunter college department of EFL at City University of New York.

The Via Lingua TEFL certificate course is an intensive four week program that will start on June 24th 2012. The cost for the program is 1300 Euros (residents of Morocco will receive a 20% discount)

For more information please contact morocco@vialingua.org or visit www.vialingua.org

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Guest speaker to speak at Mega Mall, sponsored by the American International Women’s Association. Please Check the attached for details.

SpeakerCloeRd2.pdf

By Moubarak Souiri

The nature of human beings has made communication a must for survival. Today, it is crucial, as globalization is increasing. With the recent influx of information, all countries need an efficient telecommunications system to reinforce their businesses, industries and trade. It’s necessary to lead the stock market and run the world.

Into these circumstances, “Maroc Telecom” was born. It was a revolution. It made it possible for Morocco to have success in the Euro-Mediterranean challenge and to attract more investments. They have become the leading telecommunications company in Morocco.

How did Maroc Telecom do it and how do the CEO’s strategies affect the company and its employees?

The history of Maroc Telecom begins in 1999, when the ONPT (The National Office of Post and Telegraph) was divided into two separate entities, “Maroc Telecom” and “Morocco Post.” Over the next few years, Maroc Telecom grew by purchasing smaller companies and attracting investment. In 1999, they acquired 80% of Casanet’s stock. In 2001, they acquired 54% of the Mauritanian-based telecommunications company Mauritel. That same year, the French telecommunications company Vivendi bought 35% of Maroc Telecom’s stock. By 2003, Maroc Telecom had increased the annual business of Casanet by 200%. The next year, the company went public by offering a portion of its shares on the Casablanca Stock Exchange and the Paris Stock Exchange. This allowed Vivendi to increase its stake to 51% of Maroc Telecom’s capital. Since then, Maroc Telecom has continued to expand and in 2011 was named the 88th most innovative company by Forbes magazine.

Maroc Telecom offers Internet and telephone services to Morocco. For their internet services, they have more than 9,700 kilometers of fiber-optic cables for around 320,000 lines. Their fixed lines reach over 1.3 million customers and, by the end of 2005, they had around 8.8 million mobile phone customers. These numbers have increased.* In 2012, Maroc Telecom began laying an international submarine cable “LOUKKOS.”

Employment in big telecommunications companies is very stressful work. Yet Maroc Telecom respects and supports their employees. The CEO made them love their work as the numbers were increasing. Maroc Telecom’s success is due to its laborious, creative and innovative employees.

“In my point of view, Maroc Telecom is one of the great success stories of the last decade” says former employee Mohammed El Mezdali. “Besides its national dimension, the company has grown internationally, which can be a source of pride for both the citizens of Morocco and the employees.”

“Maroc Telecom is an organizational and managerial model which grew through well-defined processes, procedures and, also, a management structure suited to some 11,000 employees” he says.

“These major assets, combined with the enormous potential of the Moroccan market, attracted many multinational corporations attempting to annex the company. The CEO’s managerial skills have allowed Maroc Telecom to maintain their leadership position.”

“It is true that I left Maroc Telecom; however, it changed my life. I know more about trade and business. Moreover, I improved my personal skills and it was a rewarding card for my resume.”

The CEO he mentions is Maroc Telecom CEO and Chairman Abdeslam Ahizoune. With an annual income of €1.45 million, Ahizoune is the highest paid CEO in Morocco. He was born in 1955 in Khemissat and graduated from Télécom ParisTech in 1977. In 1995, he was named Chairman of the ONPT and, in 1997, Minister of Post and Telecommunications. Four years later, he became CEO of Maroc Telecom.

Abdeslam Ahizoune

Since then, he has raised Maroc Telecom investments by 32.2 billion MAD. Moreover, Maroc Telecom has raised the number of its holdings in Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso and Gabon by 9.7%. On December 26th, Abdeslam Ahizoune was among the ten finalists for the Best Manager of the Year award chosen from 3,000 business leaders from 40 countries. Although Maroc Telecom benefited from a monopoly and lack of competition, Ahizoune’s hard-work and determination helped them succeed even more.

Maroc Telecom is a valuable part of Morocco. It has contributed to the boom in the national telecommunications industry. Thanks to Abdeslam Ahizoune and his clever managerial strategy, Morocco has profited in the Euro-Mediterranean challenge by making Morocco the land of opportunities and investments.

*(all numbers in thousands)
Mobile phone users: Land lines: Internet users:
2007 15342 1518 503
2008 17184 1526 522
2009 19602 1528 527

For more info, visit: http://terresdamanar.com/

Terre damanar 2012.doc

Here is a short presentation about integration and equality at the American Language Center in Marrakesh, featuring some very special students and teachers.

The Community Service Program

October 2011: The Community Service Program (CSP) recently held workshops on Sunday October 23^rd and Wednesday October 26^th. The entire ALC community was invited to learn more about the program and its mission, as well as listen to students and teachers share the successes of previous activities and outline plans for future projects during the 2011-2012 academic year. In total, eight teachers and staff members along with nearly 30 students of all ages and levels gathered to learn how the ALC is enabling students to support their community while gaining valuable, hands-on experience. Employees from the Ennour association and several of their young local and international volunteers were present to answer questions and give first-hand accounts of their enriching experiences gained while volunteering. The Community Service Program would like to thank everyone who attended the workshops and we look forward to working together this year to better our community.

November 2011: The CSP held two meetings with those of you who are interested in volunteering at one of the associations listed above. The meeting aims to discuss the following points: [Their areas of interests: what association(s) they're interested in volunteering for. Their availability: what days/times work for them to volunteer and how often are they willing to devote to it (once/twice a week/a month...etc)]. The meetings were held on Wednesday (Nov 16th) from 6-7pm and another one on Sunday (Nov 20th) from 12.30-1.30pm

December 2011:

On December 04^th, the Community Service Program (CSP) at the American Language Center (ALC) was busy heightening social awareness and expanding its reach within the community. As per its 2011-2012 program initiative, the CSP started the term with a focus on senior citizens.  On December 11^th, the CSP held an afternoon of awareness to bring to light the many issues faced by the elderly community in Morocco. Over thirty concerned citizens of all ages and backgrounds gathered to learn more about this increasingly grave, and unfortunately rather taboo, matter.

Mr. Lahcen Al Idrissi, the President of the Hay Nahda nursing home, began the day with a lecture presenting the work and activities done by the organization for its elderly clients. The very thorough and informative address was followed by an empowering PowerPoint presentation by Mrs. Tsouli from Centre Amal, an organization which supports a wide range of underprivileged, neglected categories of Moroccan population, including the elderly in Rabat. A round table discussion about governmental and citizen action regarding the support and protection of the elderly was then led by journalist Khira Arab, whose personal blog (nnonjenesuispasdansloubli.c.la) is dedicated to the elderly in Morocco. After a coffee break, the Movie Director, Mr. Hassane Dahani, presented his film “Le Pain Amer,” which artistically displays several social dilemmas faced not only by Moroccan senior citizens but their loved ones also. The day was ended by an overall discussion about all issues presented and what we, as individuals, could do to serve. Following the awareness day, the Community Service program members and the ALC students will visit the Hay Nahda nursing home and Centre Amal to act on what they have learned at the day of awareness and help this neglected community.

 

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Please see the ALC Community Service Program’s Facebook group page for more information and updates: : https://www.facebook.com/groups/ALCCSP/

Bulletin d’information

Le programme du service public “Community Service Program (CSP) que le Centre Américain de Rabat offre en collaboration avec ses étudiants et ses employés a démarré ses activités pour l’année scolaire 2011-2012. Ainsi, le CSP a organisé deux ateliers le 23 et le 26 octobre 2011 dans le but de :

• Partager notre expérience de l’année dernière 2010-2011.
• Sensibiliser et initier le bénévolat d’ordre humanitaire aux jeunes étudiants.
• Informer les intéressés sur notre plan d’action 2011-2012.

Ainsi, durant cette session d’automne, et en collaboration avec « l’Association des Jeunes Chercheurs en Informatique et Télécommunications » (AJCIT), au Faculté de Sciences, Université Mohamed V à Rabat, le CSP a traité le thème de la situation des personnes âgées au Maroc. Dans ce sens, nous avaos organisé une journée de sensibilisation (04 décembre) : un débat sur la problématique de la situation de personnes âgées au Maroc avec la participation des invités spécialisés dans ce domaine.

En parallèle de ces activités, nous encadrons les étudiants désirant participer au travail bénévole humanitaire en les aidants à s’intégrer dans une des organisations suivantes :

ü      Association Ennour – Salé.

ü      Centre Social Kariat – Salé.

ü      Dar Lekbira- Kenitra.

ü       Association de Parents et Tuteurs d’Enfants Trisomiques (APTET) – Rabat.

ü      Collectif Autisme Maroc- Rabat.

Le CSP organisé deux réunions avec les personnes intéressées à se porter volontaires à l’une des organisations citées en haut. Les réunions ont eu lieu le mercredi 16 novembre et le dimanche 20 novembre. Le but de ces réunions était de discuter la disponibilité des volontaires et voir comment contribuer au travail social communautaire. Ces réunions ont été suivies par des visites aux associations citées en haut, et ce pendant la semaine du 22 au 25 novembre.

Pour plus d’information sur le Community Service Program au centre américain, veuillez-vous consulter notre groupe à Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/groups/ALCCSP/

 

The Community Service Program

Activities for the winter term 2012

1. Visits to the elderly homes; Hay Nahda nursing home & Centre Amal during the last week of January.
   1. A Book drive:  Donate new or used English, French, and Arabic books to benefit the children at Centre Social Kariat, Association Ennour and Dar Lekbira.
   2. Awareness day about Single women & children in precarious situations: This event will be organized in collaboration with the American women association and the single women’s association in Casa along with Dar Lekbira since it will be tackling the issue of abandoned/street children, too. (the first week of March)

4. A visit to the single women’s association : around the second week of March.

The Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Rabat, Morocco is pleased to announce:

THE 2012 MIDDLE EAST PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE (MEPI)

FOR STUDENT LEADERS PROGRAM

The Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Rabat is seeking candidates for the 2012 Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) for Student Leaders program. University level students between 18 and 24 years of age who have a good command of English; who demonstrate leadership through academic work, community involvement and extracurricular activities; who have a strong interest in civic engagement and learning about the United States and its societal institutions; who have never traveled to the United States, are invited to apply for this program.

The program offers up to seven (7) scholarships for Moroccan students currently at university or a higher educational institution. The application deadline is Tuesday, January 31, 2012.

Program Overview:

The MEPI for Student Leaders Program will take place in an American University for six (6) weeks, from June 26 to August 7, 2012. The program is designed around the theme of how leadership is conceived and practiced in different capacities (governmental, community, civil society, private sector, etc.) and will address themes including conflict resolution and program dynamic, the role of civil society in the democratic process, and change management.. Student leaders will have a unique opportunity to learn about and discuss values, issues, and institutions that have played important roles throughout the history of the United States.

Participants in this program will live on a U.S. college campus, attend lectures, roundtable discussions, and site visits with academics and civic leaders, meet ordinary American citizens in a variety of cities and towns, engage in local community service activities and, most importantly, have the opportunity to discover the United States and its diverse cultures for themselves. They will be coming from Morocco, Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Syria, Tunisia, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Jerusalem, Libya and Yemen.

All participant costs, including program administration, international and domestic travel

and ground transportation, book, cultural, mailing and incidental allowances, housing and subsistence will be paid by the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) office.

Candidate Qualifications:

The Selection preference will be given to candidates with limited or no travel experience outside of Morocco. MEPI office will not accept candidates who have traveled to the United States. Participants must demonstrate proficiency in conversational and written English. They may be in any field of specialization, must be prepared to engage seriously in class discussions and other activities, able to inform and educate Americans about the Moroccan culture and society in different activities and in public presentations.

Competition is open to all applicants who meet the following minimum criteria:

a. Are 18 to 24 years of age;
b. Demonstrate English language ability;
c. Are committed to returning to their home country/community following completion of the program;
d. Demonstrate strong leadership potential;
e. Indicate a serious interest in learning about the United States;
f. Have a sustained high level of academic achievement;
g. Demonstrate a commitment to civic engagement;
h. Have no prior travel experience in the United States and limited to no study or travel experience outside their home country;
i. Are willing and able to participate fully in intensive academic;
community service, and educational travel activities;
j. Are comfortable with campus life, sharing living accommodations while traveling with a multinational group of participants from the Middle East and North Africa region and with U.S. citizens, and making adjustments to cultural and social practices different from those of their home countries/communities; and
k. Are comfortable spending a portion of Ramadan in the U.S.

HOW TO APPLY?

Applications must be submitted by e-mail to rabatyouth by Tuesday, January 31, 2012 with the subject name of “2012 MEPI Student Leaders”. No late applications will be accepted.

CONTACT

For more information, please contact the Public Affairs Section at rabatyouth or call 0537-66-8187.