The journey that inspired School Aid.
The children asked for pens—not money. That simple request became the beginning of School Aid MTÜ.
A personal journey revealed a practical educational need.
The first Morocco journey began as a personal visit by David and Maribeth de Montaigne. David had worked extensively across North Africa and the Middle East earlier in his career and wanted Maribeth to experience Morocco’s landscapes and communities.
The journey took place only months after the 2023 earthquake, while communities were still living with its consequences. During their travels, children repeatedly approached the vehicle. They did not ask for money. They asked for pens.
The request was striking in its simplicity. In towns along the route, David and Maribeth bought the pens, paper and other small learning materials they could carry, then handed them out during the next stages of the journey.
“Children were asking for the means to write and learn.”
They heard the same observation from other travellers. By the time David and Maribeth returned to France, the experience had revealed both a practical educational need and a direct way to help. That insight became the origin of School Aid MTÜ, subsequently established in Estonia.
Listen first. Respond practically.
The mission did not begin with an institutional plan. It began by noticing what children actually requested and responding with something immediately useful.
- A clear need for basic learning materials
- The value of purchasing useful supplies locally
- The importance of listening before designing a programme
- The first relationships and field experience behind School Aid MTÜ
Mission two: building a community-led delivery model.
School Aid returned in November 2024 with a specific purpose, larger quantities of supplies and a delivery method shaped by trusted families and community representatives.