Happy International Women’s Month! This month we celebrate all the incredible women around the world, breaking barriers, and setting examples for future generations to come. Here at Amalna Maroc we strive to create equality and opportunities for every woman and girl because when women thrive we ALL THRIVE!
Project Update:
After taking a couple weeks off due to my visa renewal run, Nora and I are back on the road visiting our next group of women’s cooperatives. This week we had the pleasure of visiting our second weaving cooperative in the small village of Souk Lhad (also known as Ouad Ifrane) about 20 miles south of Azrou where I live. Unlike the other cooperatives we have visited, this cooperative has tapped into the world market thanks to another organization, the Anou. The Anou was started by a former Peace Corps Volunteer who served in Morocco in 2008. The Anou’s mission is to create a fair market for Morocco artisans to thrive and receive the full share of profits that they deserve.
I had recently visited the Anou’s new office and shop in the old city of Fes. It was inspiring discussing with their artisans the mission and success of the Anou. After my visit, I was urged to visit one of the cooperatives they work with. So Nora and I hit the road again!
We arrived in Souk Lhad where we were met by a man named Mostafa. Mostafa is a metalsmith by trade and works for the Anou. He has also worked closely with Peace Corps Volunteers over the years. Mostafa led us through the village, back behind some houses to the cooperative. As we were approaching we could hear the chatting of women and a rhythmic sound of thuds and bangs - the sound of rug making! Once we entered the room Nora and I were in shock. There were so many women! Two rooms full of women sitting one by one pounding away at the looms. It felt like we had entered into a beehive. Nora and I both looked at each other, unsure where to start and how to start. “How many women are in the cooperative?” “Eighteen!” they proudly said. “Oh my god!” I responded as my jaw dropped. Most of the cooperatives that we have been visiting usually have around 5-6 women, and this one had three times as many! They were obviously doing something right - selling to the world market!
We spent two days gathering information, to better understand their operation: what they are succeeding at, where they can use support, and also learning from them. This week has left me feeling full of excitement and possibilities. Driving back to Azrou, staring out the window, looking out at the mountains covered with cedar trees, I found myself smiling from ear to ear thinking about the network of cooperatives we are creating. The sharing of knowledge. Finding where and how we can best support the cooperatives in this region, but also how they can support and learn from one another. I like to imagine that Nora and I are sewing a big Moroccan rug over the Mid Atlas region. Each square is a cooperative that we are sewing together to create a colorful, stronger, long lasting Moroccan rug!
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
Hello! I love seeing the photos of all of you, I’m very proud of the hard work you are doing in your community, and to bring hope to the world. To me, each one of you is an inspiration. Please keep doing your good, hard work. Mary Elyn, Oakland, CA, USA