Thank you so much to everyone who donated to Amalna Marco!!! With your help Amalna Marco has raised over $10,000USD! You may be asking “what is the money going to again?” Our initial project is going towards a study of local sewing and weaving business cooperatives for women. Read more HERE. This study will help us identify common needs, form partnerships and implement programs to help meet those needs. Your generous donations are paying the wages of my two Moroccan assistants, Madiha and Nora, along with the living expenses of me, Audrey. If you still haven’t gotten the chance to donate, it’s never too late! We are always accepting donations.
Get to Know The Moroccan Team!
Madiha is a kind hearted 27 year old woman who I met a couple of years ago through another Peace Corps volunteer. Madiha has worked with several Peace Corps volunteers, from tutoring Moroccan Arabic, Darija, to assisting with projects. She is very active in the local youth center in Azrou. Every Saturday she helps lead a girls empowerment program called,Project Soar. Her kind heart, passion for empowering girls and the fact that she speaks perfect English is why I hired her to be a part of my Moroccan team. Every week Madiha and I sit down and translate the interviews and surveys that we have collected from the cooperatives. It’s been wonderful to see our relationship go from acquaintances to friends. After work we always end with “kaskort”, tea time, with her mom and siblings. Now we have added a new activity into our post work routine - GIN RUMMY! One evening over tea her family and I were discussing what games we like to play. Madiha turned to me and asked, “Do you know Gin Rummy?” “What??, a little!” I said. “Let's play!!!” her Mom yelled out. Now after work and tea we end the evening with several rounds of Gin Rummy until I call it a night, usually because I’m too tired of losing to Madiha and her Mom.
My relationship with Nora goes all the way back to the start of my Peace Corps experience. She is one of my Moroccan sisters. Nora is a big social butterfly and is always helping out at the local association and cooperative I worked with when I was a Peace Corps volunteer. Our relationship has been strong and goofy since the very beginning of my time here in Morocco. Because of our great chemistry, her people skills, amazing work ethic and that she is fluent in the regional dialect, Amazigh (which is commonly spoken by the old generation and very different from Moroccan Arabic) I knew she would be perfect for leading the discussions with the cooperatives. Not to my surprise she is absolutely killing it! Our chemistry and teamwork shines through when we work together and her people skills help get the women to open up and the conversations to flow.
It's been a blast working alongside Nora and Madiha these past three months. Without them this project would be nearly impossible. They play a huge role in making this project possible!!!
Update from Audrey
"Exciting news, after searching high and low I have finally found a flat to rent in the town of Azrou. This flat is operating as the office of Amalna Maroc along with a place for me, Audrey, to sleep and get away from the hustle and bustle of Moroccan life. And of course there is room for guests!
Project Update
Nora and I are halfway done with observing and conducting interviews with sewing and weaving cooperatives in the Mid Atlas region. We have just finished visits with a third Sewing Cooperative in the town of Ain Leuh. Unlike the two other cooperatives we visited, this one is just getting off the ground. Fatima, one of the sewers and Vice President of the Coop, is a fiery lady originally from the south of Morocco. As Fatima said, “one hand can’t clap'', so the five women, who were sewing separately, decided to use their skills and work together to create their very own sewing cooperative. When talking to them you can feel their excitement and passion, along with fear, as they embark on this new adventure. Nora and I reassure them that the fear they are feeling is good. It just means that this dream is really important to them.
About Amalna Maroc: Amalna means “Our Hope” in Arabic. Our hope is to advance women’s development in Morocco. A primary focus of Amalna Maroc is to work with women’s cooperatives in Morocco, especially in rural areas, by providing education, resources and support that increase empowerment and economic opportunity for Moroccan women and girls.
Contact us at amalnamaroc@gmail.com
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