DONATION. Philippine Ambassador Leslie J. Baja, Education for All (EFA) Treasurer Juanita Folmsbee, and British Ambassador Simon Martin (left to right) during the turnover ceremony of a donation to EFA at the Chancery on Thursday (July 4, 2024). The Philippine Embassy in Morocco donated 18,000 Moroccan dirhams (approximately USD1,800) to the Moroccan non-government organization. (Photo courtesy of the Philippine Embassy in Morocco)
MANILA – The Philippine Embassy in Morocco handed over a donation of 18,000 Moroccan dirhams (approximately USD1,800) to Education For All (EFA), a Moroccan non-government organization, in a turnover ceremony held at the Chancery on July 4.
Since 2007, the EFA has been providing financial support and housing for girls from the rural areas of the High Atlas mountain region to enable them to continue their secondary education.
Philippine Ambassador to Morocco Leslie Baja said this donation is a gesture of the Philippines’ solidarity with the victims of the September 2023 earthquake in Morocco, as well as support for the beneficiaries of the EFA association.
Before the earthquake, EFA had six buildings in the High Atlas Mountains, which served as dormitories for Moroccan girls attending secondary schools.
The earthquake destroyed five of these buildings.
The donation was part of the proceeds from the sale of 18 artworks, which were featured in the Viaje 3 Filipinism What Makes Art Filipino exhibition held at the Abla Ababou Gallery in Rabat, Morocco in May.
Representing EFA was the association’s Treasurer Juanita Folmsbee, who expressed her gratitude for the kindness and generosity of the embassy and the Filipino community in Morocco.
She said the donation would be used to construct three additional houses being built by EFA.
She also shared that EFA recently witnessed the completion of baccalaureate degrees of more than 20 students.
Also present during the turnover ceremony was EFA’s Patron and British Ambassador to Morocco Simon Martin.
Martin commended the efforts of the EFA in delivering tangible results by assisting students in their pursuit of secondary education and also conveyed his appreciation of the Philippine Embassy's support for the EFA cause.
The ceremony was also witnessed by embassy personnel and staunch supporters of the EFA’s advocacy Lene Baekgaard, wife of the Danish Ambassador, and Maeve O’Driscoll, wife of the Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Morocco. (PNA)
