Najoua Zaid pursued an academic path in Social Affairs Management at the National Institute of Social Action (Institut National de l’Action Sociale) and in International Relations at Abdelmalek Essaadi University and the International University of Andalusia. She began her career as a Head of Implementation and Monitoring for social inclusion initiatives focused on women’s rights, migrant rights, and the prevention and eradication of gender-based violence.

Later, she shifted her focus to skills transfer, mentoring, and training civil society organizations. Her approach prioritizes listening to the needs and competencies of target groups, employing engaging, interactive methods that value participants’ experiences and knowledge to foster collective learning.

She has also spearheaded mediation processes, community organizing, and network-building initiatives grounded in capacity strengthening and social healing. These efforts aim to cultivate trust and mutual collaboration among diverse groups and organizations. Najoua Zaid advocates a compassionate, human-centered approach to development interventions, ensuring constructive dialogue that places people at the heart of interactions.