Rabat – Hajar Bouali, a Moroccan graduate student in pharmacy studies from Casablanca recently won the Princess Diana Award, the highest accolade individuals aged 9-25 can receive for social action and humanitarian work.
“We warmly congratulate our new Diana Award recipients from the UK and across the world who are changemakers for their generation,” Tessy Ojo CBE, CEO of The Diana Award, recently said of the recognition.
“It is especially poignant as we remember Princess Diana twenty-five years on. We know by receiving this honor they will inspire more young people to get involved in their communities and begin their own journey as active citizens.”
Starting her activism career early at the age of 13, Bouali is now the Chairperson of the Eastern Mediterranean Region for the International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation (IPSF).
Speaking to Morocco World News, Bouali said that she grew up in a family with a long history of social activism, which prompted her to aspire to become a change maker herself.
“I grew up surrounded by individuals who did their best to bring change to society,” she explained. “When I was 16 years old, I volunteered as a rescuer for the Red Cross. I’ve always felt the need to bring something new.”
Read also: Saad Uakkas, A young Moroccan Doctor Passionate about Humanitarian Work
Believing in the great potential of youth activism, Bouali spearheaded a number of actions aiming to support Morocco’s youth develop the skills necessary to make their voice heard.
Now a fourth-year student at the faculty of pharmacy studies in Casablanca, the 21-year-old has founded the “Great Debaters FMPC,” a club aiming to train students to hone their public speaking skills to enable them to partake in high-level meetings and international gatherings. The club currently has over 250 members.
In addition to her activism at university, Bouali equally contributed to efforts to raise awareness through public health advocacy. The young woman has accomplished more than 50 hours training hundreds of people 13-30-year-old participants in public health issues as part of public health advocacy campaigns.
Bouali told MWN that her greatest ambition is to become a “change-maker,” an individual who strives to “make an impact.”
For her, engaging in volunteering and social activism is a guaranteed method to support the much-needed capacity building and empowerment for young people. “Through activism, we aspire to boost society’s trust in the potential of young people and them to reach high-level positions.”
