Rabat – This Sunday, the nation celebrates the birthday of Princess Lalla Asmaa, renowned for her constant commitment to social causes and her impactful humanitarian efforts.
From an early age, Princess Lalla Asmaa has been deeply committed to improving the lives of vulnerable children, tirelessly advocating for their full inclusion as equal members of society.
As president of the Lalla Asmaa Foundation for Deaf Children and Youth, she has been and still is a key pillar in advancing the rights and development of these children.
Under her leadership, the Foundation, recognized as a pioneering institution in Morocco, has provided specialized education for decades, following national curriculums for both primary and secondary levels.
Beyond providing education, the Lalla Asmaa Foundation offers technical disability support, particularly to the hearing-impaired community, through tools like digital hearing aids, cochlear implants, and electronic transmission systems — helping children adapt and overcome isolation.
Recently, the Foundation has made major strides in expanding access to higher education for its students. Through partnerships with institutions such as the Faculty of Sciences in Rabat and the Euro-Mediterranean University in Fez, it has created pathways for its graduates to pursue further academic opportunities and excel in various fields of study.
Meawhile, professional training programs in areas such as embroidery, weaving, hairstyling, and visual arts have equipped deaf students with practical skills that foster both personal and professional development.
Bridging nations for better hearing care
A major moment in 2024 was Princess Lalla Asmaa’s collaboration with Côte d’Ivoire’s First Lady, Dominique Ouattara, to inaugurate the Lalla Asmaa Foundation’s new Center for Hearing Diagnosis and Rehabilitation in Rabat.
This center symbolizes an important step in Morocco’s commitment to providing wholesome care for children with hearing impairments. It offers a range of services, including pediatric consultations, speech therapy, and audiometry, enabling early diagnosis of hearing issues and timely interventions, such as cochlear implants.
The partnership also reflects the spirit of transcontinental cooperation between Morocco and other African nations, fostering the exchange of medical expertise.
This collaboration with Côte d’Ivoire is especially noteworthy. The partnership has led to initiatives like the neonatal hearing screening program launched in 2024 in the Rabat-Sale-Kenitra region. This program aims to detect hearing disorders in newborns, ensuring they receive essential interventions as early as possible, thereby improving their chances for successful integration.
Princess Lalla Asmaa’s commitment to supporting children with hearing impairments extends beyond Morocco. Working alongside the Foundation Children of Africa, led by Ouattara, the Lalla Asmaa Foundation has broadened its initiatives to other African countries.
In 2023, this partnership launched the second phase of the “United, We Hear Better” initiative, aimed at providing cochlear implants to children across several other African nations, including Mali, Kenya, and Burkina Faso.
This initiative has been life-changing, enabling children who were once unable to hear to communicate, learn, and flourish. Another component is the exchange of surgical expertise between Moroccan and Ivorian professionals, with the Lalla Asmaa Foundation providing state-of-the-art operating rooms in Côte d’Ivoire to uphold the highest standards of care.
As Morocco celebrates the princess’s birthday, the country also reflects fondly upon the enduring legacy she is establishing for future generations.
