Women's Empowerment in Africa

After building an organic tree nursery and a well, and after facilitating participatory meetings and trainings concerning environmental protections with the farmers and the men’s association in Tassa Ouirgane village (Al Haouz province, Marrakech-Safi region), a project financed by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and managed by the High Atlas Foundation (HAF), a new approach was decidedly developed and implemented to maximize the impact of the project on the people of Tassa Ouirgane. This gender approach was encouraged and supported by National Coordinator Microfinance Program FEM - UNDP Morocco and the High Atlas Foundation.

Fourteen women from the Tassa Ouirgane village attended a 4-day Imagine Empowerment workshop January 2019. The purpose of Imagine workshops is to enable women to create the life they most want. It is considered one of the foremost personal growth trainings available. The program focuses on seven areas of life: Emotions, Relationships, Body, Money, Work, Spirituality, and Sexuality. Below are the testimonials of a girl and a woman, both of whom attended the workshop:

"My name is M. I’m divorced, and I have a daughter. I live with my father and my mother. I want to work to help my daughter, and I’m afraid to get out of the house because of society's contempt toward me and their lack of trust. I thank God because my family has helped me a lot, but I wish I could be independent.”
After 4 days of the empowerment training, she confirmed “I will not pay attention to the opinion of others. I will be working toward my vision to be independent, build my own home, and live with my daughter.” This woman is now the leader of the Takhrkhourt agricultural Cooperative.

“My name is L. I dropped out of middle school during the last school break. I started training in artisanal craft, but I don’t feel comfortable with the decision that I made, and I don’t know how I can tell my father.” On the second day of the workshop, she told the other women participants: “I informed my father about how I felt, and he agrees with my decision to return to school.”

One of the results that came from the empowerment workshop and the participatory approach meetings that were conducted afterward with the same women was the vision to create an agricultural cooperative in order to capitalize upon the village’s great natural resources. To reach this vision, the women needed technical and managerial training. This is why the High Atlas Foundation (HAF) provided them with training on the creation and role of cooperative statutes, democratic voting for decision-making in the cooperative, organizational management, environmental protection, how to plant seeds and cuttings of trees, and how to irrigate trees.

Throughout each training and workshop that the women received in 2019-2020, HAF supported them to create Cooperative Takhrkhourt, an agricultural cooperative whose membership includes one woman and four girls. Two of the girls are studying in high school, and they want to continue their studies at university. In 2020 alone, Cooperative Takhrkhourt planted 40,000 olive and walnut trees in a nursery that they manage. The nursery is supported by the Ecosia-HAF partnership.

To achieve these results means that the women of Takhrkhourt Cooperative have:

• Made decisions about their own lives, as demonstrated by starting the cooperative that they themselves chose and created;
• Learned how to manage their time between studies, work at the nursery, and work at home;
• Made initial visits to the bank, local authorities, ODCO (Office du Développement de Coopération), and met other people outside of the village to promote their initiative;
• Opened a bank account, possibly for the first time in their lives, in order to receive income and manage cooperative finances;
• Started to receive income;
• Begun to experience and enjoy independence and autonomy;
• Voted for administrative members; and
• Created space for communication between them and other visitors to learn about the project.

The women’s cooperative now wants to expand the project. They are thinking about beekeeping and growing medicinal plants in the future.

This project has become a great example to other women and the girls in rural areas that women can change their situations for the better in the ways they want--if only they have the determination and the support to make it happen.

Through a Zoom meeting with Moroccan law students from University Sidi Mohamed in Fez who have been trained to deliver pro bono legal aid to underserved persons, I had an amazing opportunity to discuss current topics and issues as well as acquire a better understanding of Moroccan culture and perspectives. Despite the virtual interactions, I felt a connection with the students. I did not feel hindered by the virtual setting, and I learned a lot more than I expected. One of the law students, Mohammed, was particularly lively and enthusiastic in sharing information about his culture and was open to learning from the American interns. He shared great stories about his life and what it was like to be Moroccan.

MEETING SET UP

The Zoom meeting began with introductions followed by a short game of trivia, which was a great way to break the ice and get to know more about university students in Morocco. We shared and explained our favorite holidays, traditional meals, and places. Then, we discussed family structures and individual rights as well as education. Although I have already thoroughly researched these topics, I gained more insight by listening to the law students’ concerns and opinions on these issues.

WHAT I LEARNED

Morocco is currently changing and improving. The government promotes boys' and girls' education by providing financial support for parents to fund their children’s education. However, some girls still don’t pursue studies at all, and others drop out. Fathers often think girls should focus on marriage instead of careers. There is also an issue with access to education, as it can be difficult financially and physically. After primary school, some students must wake up early and walk extremely far just to get to school. There is a lack of resources in many rural communities, especially internet access, and education brings a great financial burden to many families.

The other HAF interns and I asked about the law students’ experience with the Moroccan education system. The men said that their education was easy and relatively accessible. Those who attended private schools explained that students can more easily access higher level diplomas and good jobs. They all agreed that education is always easy for the rich. Mohammed also highlighted that education is a right protected by the constitution, so everyone is entitled to benefit from it. His beliefs directly contradict the stark realities of the financial, geographic, and cultural limitations that many Moroccans face. This statement really resonated with me, especially as our discussion transitioned into free higher education in Morocco compared to expensive education in America. The law students were perplexed by this notion. The resounding message was that everyone should have an equal opportunity and the right to benefit from higher education.

The law students shared their legal objectives that focus on women, divorce cases, and family reunification, among other issues. Women have only in recent years been granted the right to ask for divorce. However, the students highlighted the issue of financial control as many women are financially dependent on their husbands and are therefore, at times, forced to stay in unhappy and abusive marriages. Divorce is still considered taboo in many areas. Most rural areas value tradition and are not as open-minded. Women are often shamed if they ask for a divorce. Some women do not know, understand, or even accept that they have their own rights. They may also fear their husbands will beat them as they are told that the man is always right. The law students are working to organize visits to rural and semi-urban areas to give these communities the opportunity to benefit from free legal aid and to learn about the Moudawana (Moroccan Family Code), to raise awareness among women about legal protections, and to influence the mindsets of the next generation toward a more progressive Morocco.

Fortunately, men in urban areas are typically more aware of policies that advance women’s status in Morocco, thus learning, understanding, and even advocating at various levels for women’s rights. The law students we met with, and many others, provide pro bono legal assistance to women who encounter a variety of legal issues regarding their families, including family reunification, reconciliation, or mediation between wife and husband (or other family members). They remain impartial to ensure that they offer the best legal advice, and they are optimistic in their efforts to help teach communities about Moudawana and women’s rights, in addition to access to education.