Sema Nur YILMAZ

Hello everyone,

I am Sema Nur. I am the first European Solidarity Corps (ESC) volunteer KOZ-DER sent to Morocco. I had a unique volunteering experience in Agdz, Morocco between 14 April and 6 June 2026.

When I applied, my aim was to take my eleven-year volunteering adventure global, meet different people in an unfamiliar culture and leave a mark on someone’s life. By the end of those two months I had collected experiences and memories that went well beyond my expectations.

My Role in the Project

Through KOZ-DER I taught chess, Mangala, Reversi, Quoridor and Cup Stacking in village schools and youth centres in Morocco, and — as a KOZ-DER representative — gave Scratch 3 and algorithm lessons for the first time, which made me proud.

Stepping out of my engineer identity and existing there as a teacher, widening children’s horizons and giving them something new, genuinely made me feel I had achieved something.

Working with the children, with dedicated teachers who want to teach children in disadvantaged areas, and with the Agdz Volunteers Without Borders team, whose aim is to improve the lives of young people, women and children in the region, was an unforgettable experience.

Meeting Moroccan Culture

I witnessed the effort of people in this formerly colonised country to protect their culture and languages. I will not forget my experiences with the Amazigh (Berber) people in particular.

I was invited into local homes and tasted their food. My favourites were meat tagine, couscous, bastilla, msemen, baghrir, harcha, amlou and zaalouk. Drinking mint tea in their homes made me feel very privileged.

Because local people were so hospitable and warm I never felt like an outsider. I learned a great deal from them. Dancing to my heart’s content at the protected Gnawa nights, tasting local food and listening to the music was a real pleasure. I was captivated by their music and by the women’s al-ayyala dances.

I learned many words and phrases in Darija, Moroccan Arabic, and tried to use them when communicating with the children.

What I Brought Home from Morocco

Coming back from Morocco I brought local clothing for my loved ones — a djellaba — along with Moroccan dates, henna, mint tea, mini tagine dishes, special Moroccan spice holders, magnets from the places I visited, Marrakesh lipstick, a leather bag, special Moroccan ashtrays and pashmina shawls made from Moroccan goat hair.

For me these gifts were not just objects but small keepsakes of the moments I lived and the bonds I built there.

Travel and Discovery

On our leave days I travelled the length and breadth of Morocco. My first stop was Taghazout, near Agadir. Swimming in the Atlantic was an incredible experience.

Then in Tangier I met a more western feel. After that I went to the blue city, Chefchaouen, and to Marrakesh. As Yves Saint Laurent said, Marrakesh is a city of endless variety that taught me colour. That is why I went twice.

Then, visiting Casablanca and Rabat, I felt I had become one with Morocco — because by then I no longer wanted to go back to Türkiye.

An Unforgettable Day in the Desert

My most unforgettable experience in Morocco was the day I spent in the desert. Riding a camel among the dunes, feeling the night chill and the scorching daytime heat, watching the stars and the moon in the silent night became one of the finest memories of my life.

Those moments showed me how special it is to be alone with nature, to listen to silence and to feel how large the world is.

First Aid Training

During the project I had the chance to join interactive first aid training given by the French disaster relief team GIS France. It was very valuable both for my personal development and for my sense of social responsibility.

What This Experience Gave Me

Those two months taught me about Amazigh culture, showed me that touching other lives knows no borders, and let me discover myself as a woman volunteering thousands of kilometres from her family.

Contact with the children deepened my compassion and changed how I see the world. My horizons widened, I feel wonderful, and I can say I no longer want to stop.

The experience did not only introduce me to a new country; it showed me what I want, how I can contribute and how volunteering can leave a mark on a person’s life.

Thank You

Thank you to the KOZ-DER family for this opportunity, to the Agdz Volunteers Without Borders team who helped me connect with local people and children, to my fellow participants, to my friends in Morocco and to the people of Morocco.

Thanks to them I collected wonderful memories, discovered myself, learned what I want, and left a mark in children’s lives.