LIONESS WEEKENDER COVER STORY
AMH Group, positively changing lives and overcoming barriers for people with disabilities
Amina Slaoui is the president and founder of AMH Group (Morocco), a pioneering leader in social entrepreneurship in Morocco and a non-profit association founded in 1992. She is a leading figure in the fight against disability and inequalities and an award-winning social and inclusive entrepreneur. Her involvement with the AMH group, formerly known as Amicale Marocaine des Handicapés - Friendly Moroccan Association of People with Disabilities, has been awarded several prizes, such as the Takreem Prize for “Philanthropy and Social Acts” in 2014 and the prestigious Schwab Foundation’s Social Entrepreneur of the Year award during the World Economic Forum in 2015.
Lioness Weekender found out more about Amina’s truly inspirational journey as a social entrepreneur and powerful voice for inclusion for people living with disabilities in her country.
What does your company do?
The AMH Group implements long-lasting projects with very high added value in education and health. There are three structures; the " Noor Hospital Centre” in Bouskoura, which is the first rehabilitation centre for disabled people in Morocco and inaugurated in 2001 by His Majesty King Mohamed VI; the “Noor Hospital Centre” in Khouribga opened in 2018; and the Tahar Sebti Institution, a school founded in 1956 by a remarkable woman Ms. Zhor Sebti. The AMH group employs 250 people involved in supporting vulnerable people.
What inspired you to start your company?
In August 1992, I had a bike accident while on vacation with my husband in Costa Rica, and I became paraplegic. After six months of physical rehabilitation abroad in the US and in France, I joined the non-profit association, the “Amicale Marocaine des Handicapés” (literally meaning Moroccan Association of the Disabled People), in 1993 to remedy the lack of care of people with physical disabilities in Morocco. I then committed myself to improve better conditions for disabled people, fighting against prejudice, and overcoming the barriers erected by society.
Why should anyone use your service or product?
The “Amicale Marocaine des Handicapés” was back then in 1992, the only Moroccan NGO created by and for people with disabilities. And since 1993, we have evolved into an innovative business model to become the first social entrepreneurship group in Morocco. As President of the AMH Group since 2011, I put forward a simple mission: “Increase the social inclusion of vulnerable people and those living with disability through high social impact products and services”.
Tell us a little about your team
The teams of the AMH Group are the result of diverse expertise: medical staff, administrative and financial management, social workers, trainers, specialized technicians. Loyal collaborators carry the heart of our commitment; some have joined the AMH since its creation in 1992. I am proud to be able to count on my teams and their sense of responsibility. Together we contribute to the expansion of our actions and make them sustainable.
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
After getting a Master of Law and pursuing political science studies, I met "an exceptional man, the CEO of a Bank, "a banker and … a poet" Mr. Abdelaziz Alami, who offered me a position at the Commercial Bank of Morocco (BCM). I learned a lot from him. Then I created "Imago," an advertising company where I implemented skills that proved helpful after my accident. The need to put meaning into my actions becomes obvious. This is why I gradually abandoned my professional activities to fully engage in the associative sector.
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
The AMH Group is delighted with the upcoming opening of the first geriatric hospital in Morocco. This structure is also a forerunner in the care of the vulnerable elderly as we were 30 years ago with disabled people. We will share our expertise deployed at the Noor Hospital Center in Bouskoura with this new senior facility.
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
I’m convinced that my country lies on extraordinary human potential, deeply rooted in tolerance and open-mindedness. Moroccans underestimate the country’s ability to uphold entrepreneurs, even though they are perfectly aware of the initiatives that must be taken to respond to social expectations. The most satisfying part of being an entrepreneur is seeing the tangible impact of our mission to contribute to a more inclusive society and improve living conditions for vulnerable and marginalized populations.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
Ever since, I’ve opted for movement, ambition, and innovation. Being a woman entrepreneur has never been a subject, undoubtedly thanks to my education and the encounters in the professional field, with both CEOs and collaborators, well-intentioned and sensitized to gender equality.
We are strengthened by the challenges we go through in life. The key is to keep going. To remain aligned with our values to carry out our mission.
The difficulties one encounters in entrepreneurship are an integral part of the journey. Everything starts to help you achieve it if you are determined. Never give up!
Find out more about AMH Group
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | EMAIL aminetta@me.com
Why LoA loves it...
Many women entrepreneurs are driven to make a positive impact in the lives of other people, and in the communities and countries in which they live, through their businesses. In the case of Amina Slaoui, she takes that impact to a whole new level, passionately wanting to create a more inclusive society for those living with disabilities. Her story and her life’s work are truly inspirational, and the social entrepreneurship and advocacy journey she has embarked upon will have a lasting impact for generations to come. — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa
