A few kilometres from Casablanca, more precisely in Dar Bouazza, a friendly space welcomes people with specific needs. The "Lieu de vie" (Living Place) of SOS Children's Villages has been opening its doors since 2002 to adolescents and young adults who have grown up in the association's various homes and who cannot follow normal schooling and have specific needs.

This space meets the needs of often marginalised people by offering them secure, individualised support adapted to their problems, allowing them to develop in dignity and with the recognition of the surrounding community. Within the Dar Bouazza Living Place, disability is not a limit, but a challenge to succeed. The centre offers these young people adapted education at a time when state or private centres cannot take them in full-time. According to the SOS Children's Village association, a child with a developmental delay requires special attention and total commitment that SOS mothers, although very attentive, cannot offer without creating an imbalance within the whole sibling group, which is often large.

In this place, "almost unique for SOS Children's Villages in the world," 31 young people are today totally taken care of, both medically and psychologically. A multidisciplinary team, specially trained in disability, surrounds the beneficiaries with the objective of allowing them to play a positive role in society. Each young person is guided by their personal educator according to their intellectual and physical capacity. Residents of this Living Place can choose between vocational training in ironwork, carpentry, or farm units, under the supervision of committed professionals, and educational workshops in visual arts and music managed by two devoted facilitators: Youssef and Abdallah. Thanks to the supervision of adults and the climate of trust developed within the said space, children who initially had trouble integrating are today creative and independent young citizens, capable of releasing their tensions and pushing their physical limits. Some of them have created a percussion orchestra and are building a repertoire. Others dream of becoming visual artists. This is the case for Zouhair and Samir. The first "discovered real talents as an orchestra conductor," while the second, a 23-year-old autistic young man, makes "breathtaking" drawings. "Directed by Najat Berhil, who started as an educator for some young people, the Dar Bouazza Living Place was able to first create a secure framework and a peaceful climate for its residents, conditions necessary to envisage work with these young people with sometimes very heavy pathologies." Here, they are taught to respect and understand instructions, but also to concentrate, to respect, and to listen to others.

This space has also been welcoming, since 2011, within the framework of the INDH and thanks to the support of the Nouasseur Prefecture via the Social Affairs Division, young adults in difficulty living in the immediate vicinity of the Living Place. These people are welcomed during the day to follow training and participate in personal development activities.

During the month of May, the Living Place contributed to the grouping of associations working in the field of disability into a network by sharing its experience and working methods with young people.

However, according to the SOS Children's Villages association, the road to quality care for disability in Morocco remains long and there are still too few structures to take care of disabled children and young people.

"While their number continues to grow and this problem affects all layers of society, disability remains relatively taboo and the lack of reception structures and training for specialised educators does not allow for quality care for too large a number of children and young people with specific needs," it indicates.

SOS Children's Villages is launching an appeal for mobilisation for disabled children and young people in Morocco so that they too can grow and flourish in dignity.

This year, the Dar Bouazza Living Place celebrates its 10 years of existence. On this occasion, it will present the evidence of its success. In order to celebrate its success and highlight the work done with the young people, a two-day fair will take place in this space on 26 and 27 May. During this festival, the association's partners (private and state) will be able to appreciate the skills and talents of the residents who every day push the limits of their disability and take up personal challenges.

-* Two young people from the Living Place have been hired by ironwork and carpentry companies.

-* Two young people are independent and work in a company in Salé.

-* One young person won the gold medal and 2 bronze medals at the Special Olympics regional games in swimming.

-* A young girl got married.