ALM: Most orphanages in Morocco are today confronted with budgetary problems marked by a reduction in state subsidies. What about the Sidi Bernoussi orphanage?

Said Sekkat: We are facing significant financial problems. This situation results from a drop in public aid. The State subsidy, namely the slaughter surcharge, has gradually decreased. This went from 2 million DH per year to 500,000 DH in 2010. We are in June 2013 and we have still not received the slaughter surcharge, namely 500,000 DH for the 2012 financial year. And yet, the State should participate up to half of the orphanage's operating budget, i.e. between 3 and 3.5 million dirhams. This disengagement of the State revolts us. We have contacted the head of government and the authorities concerned many times, informing them of our difficulties. In vain. To date, we have had no response.

Apart from the slaughter surcharge, where do your financial resources come from?

The financing of the orphanage comes essentially from donations but also from rents from the Association's assets, a subsidy from the town hall and a contribution from the National Mutual Aid. The orphanage has an operating budget of 6 million DH for which it can only finance 3.5 million DH thanks to donations and rental income. To meet the needs of the Dar Al Atfal Centre, we organise several events. And for example, on the occasion of the Fête de la Musique, we organised, on Wednesday 19 June, a concert with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Morocco at the Rialto cinema. The profits from this concert will be entirely paid for the benefit of the children of the orphanage.

Thanks to the participation of companies such as Société Générale, Centrale Laitière and the FNPI (National Federation of Real Estate Developers), the Association was able to collect about 250,000 DH. The help of donors is essential for the operation of the orphanage. But it must be noted that donations are decreasing with the economic crisis. If donations fall, we will not have a safety net. This is why the State must ensure us sustainable resources.

How is the care of the children carried out?

The abandoned children who arrive at the orphanage come from the Lalla Hasna establishment. Aged 5 to 6 years, the boys are taken care of until their social integration is well carried out. I would like to point out that thanks to the signing of a tripartite agreement between the orphanage, the Sanady Foundation and the OCP Foundation, 130 children have been able to benefit from school support. One of the main problems we are facing today is supporting young people to integrate them into active life. Out of our 260 residents, about a hundred are over 18 years old. To ensure their support, we need a budget of 3 million DH, i.e. 30,000 DH for each resident. We are asking companies that have recruitment needs to help us integrate these young people into professional life.