Work camp in Kenitra

Project Topic

Maintenance of a socio sportive center 

Partnership Agreement

This project is the fruit of a partnership between ? and the local branch of CSM.

Relevance of the project

We decided to create this project because this gymnasium clearly needs to be refreshed. The facilities’ structure in itself is in a good state but from the outside it looks abandoned. This community-based socio sportive center does not receive enough funding to invest in superficial renovations such as painting and building green spaces, even though it would radically changed the atmosphere for its residents. Our agreement is the following: with their subsidies they buy the materials and we provide the volunteers to spare them the cost of working labour.

More info about the project

This work camp is designed to gather both national and international volunteers so that everyone will be able to appreciate the everyday life habits and culture of the others through practical and social involvement and learn from the intercultural exchange. By getting in touch with national volunteers and local workers, the ones coming from abroad can actually get involved in the community during working hours but also outside of work.

The aim of this project is to contribute to the improvement of the sportive center. The place needs to be cleaned, painted, and green spaces need to be added, which will give it a much better appearance so that the users of the gymnasium find it in a better state once they come back from holidays. The camp leader will organize various animation activities for the participants to make the work camp more fun: for example the camp leaders will make a program to paint frescoes and of course the volunteers can also propose ideas.

The responsibility and organisation of the work camp lies upon a camp leader who will not only make sure everything goes well and all the participants feel included and happy but also propose some extra activities to discover the surroundings and make the best of the experience for everyone.

Main Context of the Activity

Kenitra is a medium sized city of the northern oceanic coast of Morocco, only 30 minutes away from Rabat. It was first established as a Phoenician trade harbour but most of this basement was destroyed with the time and the current city s actually quite new for a Moroccan city as most of it was built under the French Protectorate. The climate of the city is rather oceanic with cool and humid winters and not unbearably hot summers.

This city is very young and modern, there is no real “Old Medina” like in every other city, just an ancient Kasbah and the new city build around it. Comparatively with its neighbour Rabat, the city has a quite active nightlife going n with many places to go out and enjoy yourself. The beaches around the city are also very pleasant and known to be good surfing spots.

Volunteers Requirements

• No previous working experience required.

• Enthusiastic, positive and respectful people needed.

• Willingness to develop ties with other nationalities and learn new things, of course we encourage everyone to follow the pace they feel comfortable with.

Volunteers Duties

• Five days of work per week and two days off

• About 4 hours of work per day in the morning.

• Paint the school for basic maintenance even though we encourage them to express their creativity to bring life into it. The camp leaders will make a program to paint frescoes but the volunteers can also propose ideas.

• Clean the school.

•“Green activities”: Help creating green spaces, planting trees or shrubbery for example.

Accommodation Details

The volunteers will live in the gymnasium. Our agreement with the Ministry of Youth and Sport allows us to use the rooms for the volunteers to stay there. The place will be set up with mats and blankets although we highly recommended volunteers to bring their sleeping bags just in case.

Important highlights:  Toilets in Morocco are usually Turkish bath style. We prefer to warn you because we learned from previous volunteers experiences.

There won’t be a normal shower in the premises, only a hose they can use to clean themselves. Nevertheless, Marrakech can reach up to 45 degrees in summer so the water comes out warm anyway.

International volunteers can also ask the national ones to show them the Hammam (public baths). Actually, you should try it once at least; it is indeed a very relaxing and enjoyable experience and has many virtues for the skin.

Camp Address

SPORTIVE CENTRE KENITRA

Arrival possibilities and Meeting point

Kenitra train station is the ideal meeting point.

The closest airport is Rabat-Salé Airport, from there you can take a bus or a taxi to Rabat Ville train station and then a train to Kenitra (30 minutes). Otherwise you can fly into another city of the country and we can help you find the best bus and train connections from wherever you arrive.

Please remember you can only pay in dirhams, the local currency so don’t forget to change money inside the airport.

Once you have your flights details please pass them by e-mail to your interlocutor so you can arrange with him or her the meeting point.

The info sheet will be send to you by e-mail 3 weeks prior departure.