SAP Social Sabbatical Journal #5: It´s a wrap: Supporting social entrepreneurship for a better tomorrow.
And just like that, it has come to an end! This was the initial emotion that enveloped me as I took my seat at my desk in Madrid yesterday morning, marking my return from an incredible four-week journey on the #socialsabbatical in #Casablanca. I must admit that I composed these lines with a bittersweet sense of happiness and nostalgia, as I reflected on our final week in Morocco. I couldn’t be more thankful to SAP and CSR team for giving me the chance to join this amazing journey. My sincere gratitude goes out to my leadership, Cristina and Hamid, and my colleagues, Luis and Garrit, for their incredible support and for covering my work duties. I also want to express my deep appreciation to my beloved #Casablanca SoSa family for the wonderful moments and lasting memories. Big thanks to Seaskin team, Misha, Allen, and Nawal, for the fun and the lessons. My appreciation to Pyxera for the fantastic organization and for making this experience so wonderful. And, of course, a huge thanks to my family for their incredible support during my time away.
So, our final week kicked off in our usual fashion. On Monday, we gathered in our ‘headquarters’ with Nawal, and with most of our handover duties wrapped up the previous Friday, we shifted our focus to enhance our planning skills — from setting goals to organizing daily tasks to ensure successful outcomes. One of the subjects that came into focus was the Bullet Journal, also known as BuJo, a method introduced by Rider Carroll that focuses on fast and efficient logging to capture and organize tasks, events, and thoughts. I read the book earlier in the summer and found it exceptionally beneficial for long-term, medium-term, and short-term planning. I fully recommend it to everyone, as it also inculcated a daily habit of dedicating a few minutes to planning and reflection. Nawal was quite keen to learn this method for effectively setting yearly goals for herself and her team, translating them into monthly and daily tasks, and keeping track of their progress.
On Tuesday, our focus shifted to Seaskin’s social media channels, particularly the new Instagram page for Rhea Accessories. We explored the strategies for growing and scaling businesses through this social platform, with an emphasis on driving awareness and fostering a sense of community. We also reviewed Instagram pages of similar leather businesses to gather best practices and ideas.
During the late afternoon, we decided to visit La Villa des Art, a well-known Art Deco villa built in 1932. La Villa des Arts serves as a cultural center, hosting contemporary art exhibitions and events. Especially, it stands as one of the city’s most exquisite buildings. On our visit, we had the opportunity to view an fascinating exhibition featuring African comics, titled “Kubuni,” a Swahili term meaning “imaginary creation,” a language spoken in Sub-Saharan Africa.
We made it back in time for our scheduled team meeting with Narjice and Siham, verifying that our projects and presentations were set for the final handover and pitch. Additionally, we enjoyed a team dinner to celebrate Pretti’s birthday at a delicious Indian restaurant.
Architectural Diversity in Casablanca: Art Deco, Art Nouveau, and Neo-Moroccan Styles
One of the first things that truly struck me about Casablanca was its collection of Art Deco and Art Nouveau buildings, likely because I hadn’t expected such a rich architectural heritage. At first it transported me to Miami in the heart of the African continent due to its mix of urban planning and art deco architecture.
As I explored the city’s history, I discovered that Casablanca’s unique architectural journey began in 1913 when military governor Hubert Lyautey and city planner Henri Prost transformed it into a significant port and economic hub during the French protectorate era. This collaboration between international architects and local craftsmen resulted in a harmonious blend of architectural styles, giving rise to the art-deco style that quickly became a hallmark of the city.
The Neo-Moroccan style, often referred to as colonial, is most prominently displayed to the east of the Medina, especially in Place Mohamed V and its surrounding public buildings, such as the Post Office, the Courthouse, Wilaya, the Bank Al Maghrib, and also the Villa of Arts and the former “church of the sacred heart”. To the northwest, the Anfa district stands as a testament to the city’s luxurious Art Deco style.
To protect these architectural treasures, local authorities established CasaMémoire in 1995, an organization dedicated to preserving 20th-century architecture in Casablanca, including art deco, Neo-Moroccan, and neo-Moorish styles that flourished during the French protectorate era.
Last Days’ Dash: Maximizing Every Moment
On Wednesday, we marked the official handover day to Nawal, signifying the culmination of our project. It was a day filled with strong emotions. After dedicating four full weeks to supporting her with her startup business and forming a close bond, this formal closure carried a profound sensitivity, at least for me. The handover ceremony involved not only Nawal but also Pyxera Global, the organization responsible for coordinating all SAP Social Sabbatical and pro-bono consulting activities, along with Narjice and Siham. Nawal’s feedback was that she accomplished much more in these four weeks than she had in the six years of working with multiple incubators.
Following the meeting, Nawal generously treated us to a delightful Moroccan culinary experience at Le Medina, where we savored some exquisite local dishes. In the evening, I had the pleasure of accepting an invitation to a friends’ house for dinner, where they had also prepared a delicious array of Moroccan delicacies.
Thursday was dedicated to finalizing our presentation for the upcoming Friday. Nawal had been invited to an event hosted by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA) as part of the preparations for the Arab SME Summit scheduled for December 12–13 in Marrakech. This summit served as a regional platform to create fresh opportunities for SMEs in the Arab region, helping them expand and position themselves for future growth while gaining access to regional and international markets. This event held immense significance for Nawal, offering a chance to explore opportunities abroad, network, and expand her community.
During the lunch hour, given our late breakfast, we opted to explore the Abderrahman Slaoui Foundation Museum that Siham had strongly suggested it. The museum pays tribute to Abderrahman Slaoui, a Moroccan businessman and art enthusiast who passed away in 2001. In his memory, the family established this foundation to showcase Slaoui’s art collection and an impressive assortment of vintage Moroccan posters. After our visit, we made our way to the Arab League Park — right in front of the foundation — and took a few pictures.
In the afternoon, we were invited to attend an event at Art.com Sup design school, where Seaskin and new partnerships were officially being established with the institution. Organized by EDVANTIS, a higher education group, the event featured the participation of additional higher education universities, including ISGA Management and ISGA Engineering. It was a valuable opportunity to reconnect with some of the professors we had previously met and engage with new partners.
The Grand Finale and Closing Event: Wrapping Up a Week to Remember
And just like that, it was Friday, and the week had quickly flown by. Our closing event, titled “Casablanca Social Sabbatical for Global Engagement,” commenced at 10 am. Held at our hotel, Adagio, the event was hosted by Claire Gillissen-Duval, Director of SAP CSR EMEA MEE. It was a great occasion where we had the privilege of meeting key figures, including Hicham Iraqui Houssaini, Director of SAP Francophone Africa, who extended a warm welcome. This was followed by a few words from Ms. Ilham Laaziz El Malti, Director of the GENIE department at the Ministry of National Education of the Kingdom of Morocco.
Each of the four teams, Al Jisr, Jadara, Seaskin, and Maroc Impact, had the opportunity to pitch their projects and engage in a Q&A session with the audience. Following our presentation, as the Seaskin team, we couldn’t have wrapped it up in a better way than by taking a selfie, a daily ritual we had embraced at the end of our work, followed by Caitlin’s typical saying: “Let’s call it a day.”
Throughout our journey, we were often told that the social sabbatical would be a life-changing event. At the time, I couldn’t fully grasp the extent of its impact. But now, having lived through this transformative experience, I can warmly affirm that working as a pro bono consultant was not just an opportunity to give back; it was also a chance to learn and grow as an individual, broadening my horizons and deepening my understanding of the world and the role I can play in making it a better place.
Following the formal ceremony, we took numerous pictures and enjoyed some delicious appetizers, accompanied by Moroccan music. We even had henna tattoos done. We said our goodbyes to Nawal, who generously gifted us exquisite Rhea items made from fish leather. I am excited to proudly display these gifts to my friends and family and to support and promote them whenever the opportunity arises. Additionally, once the www.rhea.ma e-commerce website is up and running, you will have the chance to acquire accessories from Nawal’s fish leather business.
Later, we enjoyed a team lunch at Lily’s, one of the finest restaurants in Casa, offering breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean.
On Saturday morning, we all gathered for breakfast, and the atmosphere was filled with emotion. One of the most touching moments was witnessing the hotel staff, including the receptionists, cooks, waitstaff, and others, coming to bid us farewell during breakfast. They expressed their gratitude for the friendship we had deepened over the past month. It marked our final goodbye. I was one of the first to depart for the airport, joined by Avalon and Jens, while the rest of the team left throughout the morning. Only three of our colleagues stayed behind for an extended vacation — they were fortunate! As we exchanged farewells, there were last-minute team photos, kisses, hugs, and heartfelt goodbyes.
Let me wrap up with an Irish quote that I believe suits this incredibly special farewell moment:
“May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be ever at your back. May the sunshine warm upon your face and the rain fall softly on your fields. And until we meet again, may God hold you in the hollow of his hand.” — Irish Blessing
Thank you!
#SocialSabbatical #SAP4Good
