Lhoucin Ferdous held the position of Head of Division of Governance, Monitoring and Accompanying Activities of NGOs in the Ministry in Charge of Relations with Parliament and Civil Society from November 2014 until June 2023. His role consisted of contributing to the success of the Ministry's mission to realize the 2011 Constitution with regard to strengthening the roles of civil society and citizen participation. This involved proposing and implementing measures to strengthen the partnership between civil society and the state, developing capacity-building programs for associations in various fields, and promoting the contribution of associations in the public policy making process. 

Prior to serving as Head of Division, Lhoucin was a provincial delegate of National Mutual Aid. From 2007 until 2013, he supported the organization by assisting people in precarious situtations to partner with local stakeholders including civil society organizations and local authorities. 

IVLP Impact Award Project: Strengthening NGOs to Contribute Efficiently to Public Policies

This project was created to support local NGOs in Skhirat-Temara district to define their strategies and priorities, prepare advocacy action plans, and use advocacy and networking techniques to influence local affairs effectively. The project helped these organizations become more structured, organized, and focused on their primary activities.

Lhoucin selected 12 NGOs based on specific criteria, evaluating their capacities, and defining their specific needs and expectations. The project offered in-person training workshops on strategic planning and advocacy techniques and provided tailored coaching and technical assistance to the beneficiary NGOs to create impact through concrete advocacy initiatives at the local level. The NGOs that participated have started collaborating with local authorities and other local NGOs to implement their projects. For example, the Vision Technologies Association is working on a project to improve access and autonomy for persons with disabilities through technology and information system facilities. Also, three associations advocating for women's rights have organized several conferences to fight against violence against women in different cities.

"The strategic planning and advocacy training course was extremely useful for me. It changed several of my concepts and views on associative action. I learned how to successfully communicate my cause and create an impact that adds value to my society." - Participant

IVLP Exchange Experience 

Lhoucin was a participant in the IVLP Project NGO Management, organized by the U.S. Department of State and American Councils for International Education.

Lhoucin's exchange experience led to the development of his IVLP Impact Award Project: "A key takeaway from my participation in [IVLP] last year was that NGOs can contribute significantly to improving the lives of citizens in many ways and in several areas, including through effective participation in policy making at the local level."

U.S. Communities Visited

Washington, DC; Boston, MA; Detroit, MI; Manchester, NH

Country: Morocco

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