Our Story

The Importance of Education

Imagine if you’d stopped education at age 12… how different would your life have been?

Well in Morocco it’s a reality... in some areas girls aren’t able to attend school after the age of 12. This is due to a lack of money or the long, unsafe journeys to schools that are too far away.

So instead of these girls following their dreams of a better future they end up with a life spent at home. A life of domestic chores, early marriage and having children.

I was born and raised in Morocco before moving to the US and it made me sad to hear this is happening today. I was privileged to have a great education so I knew I needed to do what I could to help these girls get the education they deserve.

Rural moroccan girls

A Crazy Idea

A goat on a tree

I wanted to raise money to help these girls and at the same time do something fun to make more people aware of their situation.

I thought about my life as a child... in the Argan Oil forests of Morocco near to where I grew up live some strange goats who like to climb trees.

I loved goats and still do… their long silly tongues, weird rectangular eyes and crazy screams are super funny.

So I set out to create a squawking rubber toy that represents this legendary animal. One that I could sell to raise money and help these girls get a better education...

That’s when Gabi the Goat was born.

Education For All

I had a way to raise money with Gabi the Goat so now all I needed was a way to use the money to help the girls get the education they deserve.

This is where Education For All (EFA) Morocco comes in. EFA Morocco is a non-profit that builds and runs boarding houses for girls who want to continue their education.

The boarding houses allow the girls to live closer to school and everything is provided to them for free so money is no longer an issue.

With Gabi, I’m now on a mission:
To use the power of goats to provide girls in rural Morocco with a better education

Goat forth and spread the word!
- Simo Elalj, Founder
#GabiTheGoat #EducationForAll
Meet Gabi the Goat

Gabi the Goat with the girl and Gabi the Goat's founder