During a working visit to Morocco earlier this month, Minister John Cortes, whose portfolio includes developing relations with Morocco, called on a social centre in the Rif’s “Blue City” of Chefchaouen which is working on support for autistic children and empowering women.

APEA (L’Association des Parents d’Enfants Autistes) is a local association for parents of children with autism and has spearheaded the move towards inclusion of autistic children and young people, providing them with learning opportunities, activities, and support in gaining employment. It currently has 138 beneficiaries in the scheme. 

Gibraltar charity Rifcom provides funds for specific projects such as employing a psychologist to identify and support the children in local schools.

In 2025 RifCom bought a brand new bus to provide transport to families from the outlying areas, where many of them live, to the centre in Chefchaouen.

Rifcom also supports women's empowerment. Since 2024, 58 women have enrolled in Baccalaureate courses and five teachers have been employed to teach them. 

Twenty-two women who have previously completed the Baccalaureate are now supported in university studies, with a counsellor employed to guide them.

In 2025 a programme began to train and upskill women to participate in business initiatives to create income. The drying and extraction of oils from local plants and flowers for sale is the first one. 

During the visit, Minister Cortes was also able to see the ambulances that had been donated by the GHA to Chefchaouen, including one that had been sent over during his time as Minister for Health.

Minister John Cortes said: “The way that Rifcom - and all who contribute to their fundraising - are helping these young people and women to be able to enrich their lives and contribute to society is incredible. I want to thank them, and also the many families in Chefchaouen and the surrounding area who made it a point of coming to see me at their premises to share their stories of success and to thank me in person for the part that Gibraltar is playing in improving opportunities for them. It made me really proud of the spirit of Gibraltar, always contributing so positively to charitable work.”