Zineb Lahbabi

Morocco

Zineb is a program coordinator at the National Democratic Institute (NDI) office in Rabat. She manages a civic education program aimed at empowering university students through a better knowledge of the political climate, the institutions, and the role youth can play in transforming society. Through this program, she assists students in elaborating policy recommendations on youth issues and connects them to elected representatives, with the hope of improving communication between an apolitical generation and their elected representatives. Zineb is a believer in the potential of arts to lead social and economic development. She founded the Arts and Culture Initiative for All (ACIA), a community organization based in a marginalized neighborhood of Rabat. Its mission is to democratize access to arts and culture to children in difficult situations such as orphans, migrants, and street children by providing weekly workshops in painting, music, drama, and reading.