The third edition of the Moroccan Social Innovation Awards (MSIA), organized by the Abdelkader Bensalah Foundation, honored eight pioneering Moroccan initiatives in the field of social innovation, including the “Sign Language Café” project by the Hope Association in Marrakech, which won the grand prize.
The “Sign Language Café” is the first space in Morocco dedicated to the deaf community, providing an integrated pathway for the professional inclusion of deaf youth based on a sustainable and solidarity-driven economic model. The judging panel also awarded an appreciation prize to the Future Youth Development Association (AJAD) for its International Forum for Technological Innovations (FIIT) project, aimed at fostering a spirit of innovation among Moroccan youth.
The awards included multiple categories, with the Colibghiti project by Sustainable Food Solutions in Casablanca winning the digital innovation category for its AI-based platform to combat food waste. In the health category, the “Women of the Land” project by the Sind Agricultural Cooperative in Oulad Mbarek was recognized for its focus on the economic and social empowerment of rural women.
Additionally, the “Zaman” festival by the Roots of the Desert Association in Mahamid Ghizlane won in the culture category, while Edronic Technologie received the inclusion award for its “Ayni” project, which enhances the independence of visually impaired individuals using smart glasses.
In the education sector, the “Family Reception Center for Excellence” project by the Semnid Association in Azilal was awarded for its role in combating school dropout rates among rural girls, while the Endindi Association for Development and Cooperation in Taroudant won the environmental category for its “Water = Life” project, which provides drinking water through an innovative participatory governance model.
Mr. Tarek Al-Maaroufi, the general director of the Abdelkader Bensalah Foundation, stated: “We are proud of this edition, which saw significant participation exceeding one hundred innovative initiatives from various regions of the kingdom. These projects reflect the vitality and creativity of the Moroccan social innovation ecosystem.”
It is worth noting that the awards are managed through a selective process comprising five stages: technical analysis, evaluation by multiple committees, regional review, and final assessment by a high-level judging panel chaired by Mr. Hamid Boucheikh, supported by a number of partners including CDM, Cooperpharma, TGCC, LafargeHolcim, Cosumar, and Mass Céréales Al Maghreb.
