Association Education For All

Maryk Stroosnijder

President

Before coming to Marrakech from the Netherlands to run riads with her husband Cees, Maryk worked for five and a half years as project manager for the International Project Unit of the Association of Netherlands Municipalities on projects to strengthen local authorities, e.g. Association of Palestinian Local Authorities (APLA) in Palestine. She worked as a Human Resources Manager for two years before coming to Marrakech.

Juanita Folmsbee

Treasurer

Juanita started with Education for All in 2018 and is currently serving as the Treasurer for the Board of Trustees.

Before settling in Marrakech in 2018, Juanita worked internationally for more than 30 years in development project management. She has worked both on US Government side for CDC and on the NGO side for organisations such as PATH and Management Sciences for Health (MSH). During her time at MSH, she served as the Project Director for the SCMS project in Vietnam and the SIAPS Project Director in Ukraine. She was also a Global Program Manager on the SCMS project responsible for Ethiopia, Kenya, Zambia, Rwanda, Burundi and Namibia. During her time with CDC she was the Deputy Program Manager for CDC in Haiti during the start of the US government’s PEPFAR Program.

Yassine Hanyn

Vice President

Born in Casablanca, Yassine moved to the Netherlands, at age 17. With over 23 years in business management and the catering sector, Yassine has successfully established and managed multiple restaurants and businesses in the Netherlands, winning the Viewer’s Prize in 2012 and the TANS Entrepreneurship Award in 2014. In 2021, Yassine relocated to Marrakech while maintaining ownership of his business in the Netherlands. In Marrakech he started investing in M-Avenue Gourmet before pursuing his own hospitality project in the Medina. Yassine is very dedicated to charity work and supports a multiple of non-profit projects including a school construction project in Ghana.

Houda Elfchtali

Board Member

With a Bachelor's in English Literature and an ENS degree, Houda Elfchtali is an experienced English teacher and cultural advocate with over 30 years of teaching and administrative experience. Her literary contributions include three poetry collections in English and one in French, alongside numerous columns published in Moroccan and French newspapers. She is currently engaged in translation projects, collaborating with various cultural institutions, and actively participating in literary and artistic events both nationally and internationally. Her community involvement spans roles in several educational and literary organizations, reflecting her commitment to fostering cultural exchange and literary appreciation.

Latifa Aliza

Operations Manager

Latifa comes from Moulay Brahim where she was brought up with four sisters and one brother. She attended college in Marrakech and returned after graduation to take on the role of housemother at Dar Asni. This was a brand new experience for her and a huge challenge at the start. She works tirelessly to ensure that the girls are well cared for, as well as checking their homework and ensuring that they study hard. The great love and respect the girls have for “Soeur Latifa” is evidence of this amazing person's abilities and commitment. Illaria, a volunteer from Bristol Grammar School (which has raised considerable funds for EFA since the beginning), took Latifa to England in 2010. Latifa has become lead housemother for Khadija and Mina, the housemothers at Talaat n'Yacoub and Ouirgane.

Nancy Crann

In-Country Program Director

Nancy is an experienced Project Manager with over 15 years of expertise in managing large-scale projects in the energy sector, specialising in project controls, logistics, procurement, and contracts. A former Canadian Forces Reserve Officer, Nancy brings a strong ability to lead in challenging environments and across diverse teams. Nancy joined AEFA in September 2024 as the in-country Program Director and is responsible for leading the Association EFA's operations, including rebuilding efforts, in Morocco.

Karima Targaoui

Volunteer Coordinator

Karima Targaoui was born and lives in France, with Moroccan and Berber origins. She has worked in IT for over 15 years and currently holds a part-time position as an IT business analyst in the healthcare sector in France.

Karima has been involved with Education For All since its early days and was one of its first volunteers. In 2009, she spent 18 months in Talat N'Yacoub, helping to establish EFA’s very first boarding house in this remote area. During this time, she worked on building awareness of the organisation in the region and setting up the operations of the house to ensure its success.

Since then, Karima has remained deeply committed to EFA, focusing on the recruitment and management of volunteers to support its mission of empowering girls in rural Morocco.