Annual report 2019 LETTER FROM OUR And we are not stopping. For 2020 our theme is ESSENTIAL IMPACT STORIES. Armed with new technology that helps track the progress of the Soar girls, we will be sharing more Soar girl stories via text, pictures, and The Project videos in 2020. Because no one knows better how Project Soar transforms lives than the girls themselves. Soar pledge: So stay tuned for stories that will open your heart and inspire your soul. In a tumultuous world, never doubt All girls must Dear DirectorProject Soar friends, that change is possible. Facts stay in school. 2019 has been a year of milestones. We kick off each With the hope of a more just world for teen girls year with a new theme, and for 2019 it was Crossing WHAT everywhere, Nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, Borders. We are proud to have met that challenge! We registered in the US and Morocco collaborated with Ugandan partners, Open Space, to take Project Soar to five underserved girls’ schools in Kampala. While the distance between Morocco and WHEN Uganda is significant, the challenges that teen girls Established in 2013 face are the same: lack of self-esteem, period poverty, MaryamFounder Montague& Director sexual harassment, and girl brides. Project Soar works to tackle these issues and more. To meet specific WHERE concerns in Uganda, we added new workshops on Morocco & Uganda OUR HIV/AIDs and female genital mutilation to our core Headquartered in Marrakech curriculum. And after months of hard work, our first class of Soar Ugandan girls has just graduated! But beyond program completion, the pilot in Uganda demonstrated WHO something more important yet: Project Soar’s relevance Marginalized teen girls in school to across borders because teen girls everywhere need to know their value, voice, body, rights, and path. Mission HOW empower 2019 was an important year for Project Soar in Signature empowerment curriculum Morocco, too. One of our proudest milestones is our helping girls understand their: teenage first cohort of Soar girls accepted into university. At our headquarters site alone, every single 12th grader passed the Baccalaureate and is now getting a higher education. And there are many more girls to come! With VALUE support from the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the to become American Language Center, in 2019 we trained over VOICE 70 new women Project Soar Empowerment Facilitators. leaders These facilitators are now working across the country BODY girls of to empower teen girls with critical leadership skills. RIGHTS All of this would not have been possible without the tireless help of our staff, board members, volunteers, PATH TODAY and donors. And of course, the commitment and grit of and the hundreds of Soar girls themselves. tomorrow 2019 Empowering girls in Morocco and Uganda Snapshot Girl Leaders 21 Clubs Project Soar Project Soar 19 squads 48 squads January 2019 December 2019 1,611 48 93.3% teenage girls squads in passing rate served Morocco & of Academic Uganda Scores for PS 1,134 hours of empowerment 16 days 123 74 4,706 training Empowerment volunteers volunteer Empowerment Facilitators hours Facilitators donated “My relationship with my family was horrible because I refused to get married at the age of 16. Project Soar helped me develop my communication skills. I learned how to express my opinions and share why I didn’t want to get married. It was difficult but my relationship 1 Diplomatic Gala 5 Grants with Reward with my family has improved. I will never forget the 1,052 BeGirl 1 Jewelry moment when I told my father that I graduated from 1 Girl Power games Collaboration menstruation high school. He took me in his arms and he spun me in kits distributed 1 TEDx Talk 2 visits by American the air. I felt so proud and happy. Business delegations 1 Keynote speech Project Soar has changed my life.” 20 years old from -DouniaDouar Laadam PSB Expansion SIGNATURE In 2019, we expanded the Project Soar in a Box empowerment program with key partners. Girls Leaders Clubs Ministry of Youth and Sports, Programs Project Soar Girl Leaders Clubs Government of Morocco Academic Support (GLCs) help Girls put into action 34 Youth Centers (dar chebabs) across their leadership skills in their local Morocco Empowerment Workshops Over two academic terms in 2019, communities. GLC Girls receive 34 Girl Squads Project Soar Girls served by our continued Project Soar support and Project Soar girls across Morocco and 896 registered Project Soar Girls Marrakech headquarters received are equipped with a toolkit that Uganda join Empowerment workshops in weekly academic support and help them effectively manage their their communities led by trained Project American Language Center - intensive exam preparation classes. Clubs through: Soar facilitators. Workshops are rooted in Thank you to the Embassy of Australia Casablanca the Project Soar Empowerment Pillars: Girl Squads in Casablanca, Morocco in Morocco, Direct Aid Program for your Club governance 5 support! registered Project Soar Girls Activity planning 118 Know your Value Advocacy skills Know your Voice 192 Project Soar Girls in Open Space Centre Know your Body grades 9 to 12 5 High Schools in Kampala, Uganda 21 GLCs launched Know your Rights 5 Girl Squads 821 hours of general academic Know your Path 416 Club members in Morocco 132 graduated Project Soar Girls support in Math, Physics, English, and Uganda 5 Girl Leaders Clubs launched Each workshop helps develop teen French and Natural Science girl confidence and skills through a 222.5 hours of intensive combination of: exam-preparation Affirmations Dialogue hours of 1000+ Art or Movement academic support helping Meditation/Visualization Journaling SCALING WITH THE MOROCCAN SustainablyGOVERNMENT In partnership with the Ministry of Program Overview Youth and Sports, Project Soar launched its Empowerment Program in 28 Youth Center Directors 34 local youth centers (dar chebabs) across Morocco. Programming attended an orientation will continue for the 2019-2020 academic school year, with Girl 67 Female Facilitators trained Leaders Clubs launched and housed on the empowerment program in the youth centers. Funding from the Moroccan government has been 896 Girls registered in instrumental in bringing Project Soar program by Dec 31, 2019 to scale across Morocco. 235 of workshops completed by Dec 31, 2019 Girls Squad Centers 18 Nov Youth Center Esskhirat Youth Center “I was thinking about dropping Aarst Alhamed Fam lhisn Youth Center out of school and my parents Abd Salam El Massari Hay Salam Ahdaf El Atlas Hay Salama Youth Center suggested that I get married. Akchmir Youth Center Homan El Fetouaki Akka Youth Center Kasbah Youth Center, However, I learned about Aknis Marrakech Project Soar and after joining, Al Wahda Masnana Youth Center Aourir Youth Center Mdaghra Youth Center my idea completely changed. Bouyzakarn Youth Center Mohammed Bordou El Aarbi Ben Mbark Moulay Rachid - Casablanca Now I’m going to finish my El Aaroui Rahhal Ben Ahmed studies and apply for university. El Hay El Oumali Riad el Andalosse Youth El Kebab Youth Center Center Thanks Project Soar!” El Khang Youth Center Rich Youth Center El Kharij Sidi Ismail Youth Center 19 years old from El Mariniyine Sidi Othman -ChaimaeTaroudant Essaouira Youth Center Tamzmout KEYNOTE PATH NORTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN WASHINGTON, DC BY PROJECT SOAR GIRL KHADIJA SATOUR During the Body module, I understood the Speech importance of taking care of my physical health and adopting healthy eating/ nutritional habits. I learned to never be ashamed of physical changes that my body “Project Soar opened up a window of undergoes at this age because it is a opportunities for me. Before I joined Project normal phase of my life – of every girl’s life. Soar, I was nervous and afraid to speak up. I was afraid of the way I am perceived in As for the Rights modules, it helped me gain my community and among my peers. I was the courage to say “No” to forced marriage, extremely shy and introverted. I had no friends violence, and exploitation. I learned to at all and wasn’t comfortable even in a family stand up against anything that might setting. I used to think that everyone disliked hinder my abilities as a girl. me. Then I heard about Project Soar from my classmates and thought it would be a great The Path module taught me that there is “I am aware of the outlet for me. room for me to dream about the future. It taught me the importance of setting goals hurdles that might stand A part from the richness and variety of the and taking advantage of opportunities activities offered by Project Soar, academics that will lead to a better future for others in my way but I am very and others, nothing made more positive impact and myself. on me than Empowerment Workshops. First, when confident in my ability I just joined, I was nervous to interact with I am aware of the hurdles that might the other girls. During empowerment sessions, stand in my way but I am very confident to overcome them.” I have gained self-esteem, satisfaction, love, in my ability to overcome them. My self- change, and a tremendous deal of personal confidence, resolve, and my desire to growth. I have really come to value myself as succeed are my weapons! Now, I have a a girl. I realized that there is every reason goal, and my goal is to become a girl to my existence as a girl and young woman. leader in my community. I would like to send I felt that I was born to explore my endless a message to every girl like me: You are possibilities. more than just a body to be exploited or work at a young age.