This study examines the underlying motivations that drive adult learners to participate in Morocco's "Literacy for Empowerment" program, implemented by the national Agency for Adult Education. While the program constitutes a government initiative, the research analyses learners' perspectives through the lens of Mezirow's Transformative Learning Theory. Guided by one main research question and a sub-question addressing gender differences, a qualitative methodology was employed, drawing on focus group discussions with male and female participants from both rural and urban areas. Thematic content analysis highlights how the application of transformative learning theory helps to illuminate the ways adult learners evolve through disorienting dilemmas, self-reflection, and identity reconstruction. A key finding is that enrolment was often triggered by a powerful disorienting dilemma, particularly the shame, stigma, and social exclusion linked to illiteracy, which prompted participants to reassess their situation and imagine new possibilities. The study offers practical implications for the design and delivery of adult literacy programs, emphasising the need for flexible, learner-centred approaches that respond to participants' evolving motivations and lived realities. Furthermore, it contributes to ongoing national and global efforts aimed at achieving inclusive lifelong learning opportunities for all (UNESCO, 2015).