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By Sekar Krisnauli
Rabat – Morocco will receive millions of dollars in funding from the United States government through programs aimed to address challenges that prevent girls in the country from quality education, according to a Monday White House press release.
The Millenium Challenge Corporation, an independent U.S. Government foreign-aid agency, is expected to give nearly $100 million dollars to invest in a new model for secondary education in Morocco, the announcement stated. The U.S. Agency for International Development will also invest $40,000 to build five girls’ dormitories, known as “Dar Talibas”, by the next school year.
“I am so proud that the U.S. is working with the Moroccan Government to make…transformative new investments to educate and empower girls across Morocco,” stated United States First Lady Michelle Obama in the release.
The announcement was made as Obama visited Marrakesh Tuesday where she was joined by actresses Merryl Streep and Freida Pinto in a panel moderated by CNN’s Correspondent Isha Sesay to promote quality education for girls worldwide through the Let Girls Learn initiative.
"It just makes sense for boys AND girls to be educated & involved & empowered."–@FLOTUS in Morocco #LetGirlsLearn pic.twitter.com/hZ3y1B49hf
— Peace Corps (@PeaceCorps) June 28, 2016
Morocco will also become Peace Corps’ 36th Let Girls Learn Country in the coming months, where the Peace Corps will train volunteers and community leaders to advance empowerment and education for girls, the release added.
“I’m sitting here as [First Lady of the United States] because of the opportunities my education provided me,” Obama said in the panel, according to a tweet from MCC’s account.
I'm sitting here as @FLOTUS because of the opportunities my education provided me #LetGirlsLearn pic.twitter.com/HIk02M54j7
— Millennium Challenge Corporation (@MCCgov) June 28, 2016
MCC’s fund comes from the $450 million Employability and Land Compact between MCC and the Government of Morocco that seeks to overcome challenges in economic growth through investments in education and land productivity.
We are proud to support the goals of #LetGirlsLearn in Morocco and help girls get the education they deserve https://t.co/T7iSdO9Gwy @FLOTUS
— Millennium Challenge Corporation (@MCCgov) June 28, 2016
Obama’s visit to Marrakesh marked her second stop in her six-day trip to Africa – Liberia and Morocco – and Spain where she advocated for the quality education 62 million undereducated girls deserve.
Obama was in Liberia Monday where she went to a leadership camp for girls and urged them to fight for quality education, The Washington Post reported. In connection to her visit, the USAID announced the same day up to $27 million in funding for new Let Girls Learn commitments in Liberia.
Obama is joined by her mother and daughters Malia, 17, and Sasha, 15, throughout the trip. They landed at Marrakesh Monday evening where Moroccan Princess Lalla Selma, wife of King Mohammed the VI of Morocco, greeted the Obamas as they landed at Marrakesh’s Menara Airport. Obama is scheduled to depart to Spain after Morocco.
Let Girls Learn was launched by U.S. President Obama and First Lady in March 2015 and aims to ensure education that empowers girls worldwide to fulfill their potentials.
