Disaster Response Morocco Project #61239

Earthquake Rebuilding with Communities in Morocco

by High Atlas Foundation

Earthquake Rebuilding with Communities in Morocco

Project Report | Dec 27, 2023
On the Brink of Earth

By Safa Aguerjout | Psychosocial empowerment Facilitator

After three months have passed since the devastating earthquake that occurred in the region of Al-Houz and other affected areas on September 8, 2023, with a reported toll of 5,500 injured and 2,900 fatalities, including 86 individuals from Douar Amkdoul in the municipality of Talat N’ayacoub in the Al-Houz province, among them 21 children.

Each person affected by this tragedy has lost more than one family member, whether from their immediate or extended family.

From a distance, it may seem as if life is back to normal and everything is fine. However, each step forward reveals shocking scenes that make it apparent that the earth has split open and swallowed everything in its path.

During our interactions with the community members, we have come to realize the vital importance of providing psychosocial empowerment. This support is offered through workshops organized by the High Atlas Foundation in partnership with Project HOPE.

The aim is to help women and children affected by the earthquake regain a sense of normalcy despite the deep cracks left by this disaster—a task that cannot be fully restored within just four days of a workshop.

The psychological condition of children in this region is extremely challenging, and they are in desperate need of special support and follow-up due to the traumatic experiences they have endured at such a young age.

During my conversations with them, I was struck by their maturity as they described the severity of what they witnessed, especially Amina, who lost Two of her brothers.

She would even imitate her brother's cries from under the rubble to some extent. Life moves on unaware of what she has been through, as well as her separation from her best friend Zakia, who is nine years old. Every time she tells me about Zakia's actions or words, it seems as if she is trying to hold onto a memory that she fears will fade away.

The workshops serve as an opportunity for individuals to receive much-needed emotional guidance and assistance. They create awareness about psychological well-being and the importance of addressing mental health issues in the aftermath of such a traumatic event.

It is a platform for individuals to share their experiences, express their emotions, and learn coping strategies.

The workshops also emphasize the role of community support and resilience. By coming together, sharing stories, and supporting one another, affected individuals can begin to rebuild their lives and find strength in unity.

It is crucial to acknowledge that the healing process takes time and ongoing support. While the workshops provide initial guidance, long-term efforts are needed to address the lasting effects of the earthquake on individuals' mental well-being.

As we continue our work with the community, we remain committed to providing sustained support and assistance as they navigate through this challenging period. Together with our partners, we strive to restore hope, rebuild lives, and contribute to sustainable development in the region affected by this earthquake.

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Dec 25, 2023
Linking Psychosocial Empowerment and Water Infrastructure

By Yossef Ben-Meir | President

Thank you everyone again for your collaboration to help bring relief and opportunity with communities severely hurt by the September 8 earthquake.

There is a direct link between psychosocial empowerment (or our “Imagine” methodology) and the rebuilding of water infrastructure. In order to reach the point of visualizing a productive future ahead, the psychosocial sessions, as you know, help people express and develop tools to manage the trauma associated with the pain of loss.

The sessions in their initial phases over the four days focus heavily on the emotional component of healing and strengthening social relationships, which is essential to this process.

What follows is the consideration of new opportunities or ones that have been long-held with a new determination to achieve the self-described goals of the participants. We know that water for both drinking and irrigation has been and remains the very top priority of these communities and are critical projects for sustainable rebuilding and for different forms of resilience.

By working with women, these water projects will be of direct benefit, supporting their agricultural objectives as well as maximizing the range of benefits associated with clean drinking water and delivery systems.

The women will be fully integrated into the management of the water systems for both clean drinking and irrigation water, which in turn strengthens their associations and cooperatives due to the training and the capacities needed for the system’s management as well as collectively managing the new revenue that is generated by the agricultural activities supported by the new irrigation infrastructure.

It is important to note that we have known since 2016, when we began Imagine’s facilitation, that there are trauma healing benefits (prior to September 8, usually in the context of domestic conflict). For us, the approach is vitally essential because it is the centerpiece of our strategy for achieving sustainable development.

HAF ultimately seeks projects determined and managed by local communities, and this empowerment methodology which is about personal and collective exploration and confidence building, leads to the outcome of development identified and managed locally.

We sincerely hope to continue working together for the benefit of Moroccan communities.

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Dec 20, 2023
Hopes at Year's End

By Yossef Ben-Meir | President

Dear Friend,

We hope your 2023 was all that you wished for, and even more in a positive way.

For us at the High Atlas Foundation in Morocco and the tens of thousands of families in the High Atlas Mountains, it will be forever marked by September 8 and the calamity that fell on that night. It is a year of rebuilding, healing, reenvisioning, forging uplifting partnerships, and entering 2024 with great optimism and total belief and comfort in our mission and society.

If we were to express to you and the world the critical community needs that we see around us, we would say this:

Psychosocial empowerment—helps local groups manage the emotions and conditions of loss and strategize and take actions for their own and their surrounding sustainable development.
Water infrastructure for drinking and irrigation and associated capacity building, including health—we integrate solar water delivery systems in these initiatives. This has been a long-time and pervasive call of rural Moroccan people.
Planting endemic fruit and forestry trees near and far and building the terraces to enable more planting—prevents future slides of tons of rock upon houses that wreaked such devastation on the people on that awful September night. HAF and community partners monitor the trees we plant at a recognized global standard, enabling supporters to improve carbon balance.
Meeting women’s and youth’s call for building their skills (literacy, managerial, technical) —fulfills their cooperative’s goals and entrepreneurial dreams, and they become mobilized agents of development change.
Restoration of cultural, historic, and sacred locations—fully integrates advancing local human development.
Immediate relief—in the form of food (particularly milk for young people), clothing, and intermediate shelter is a serious need.

The High Atlas Foundation partners with local communities to achieve these initiatives every day. Our expertise, built over 23 years, is assisting the people of Morocco in their own journey of what they want to create in their lives and creating the necessary relationships in order for these projects to be implemented and sustained by them. To all our Partners, our hearts’ gratitude.

At the end of this 2023 year that has revealed to us so much about ourselves, let’s give one great push to implement as much as we can. Let’s enter 2024 with yet another level of energy brought on by our giving now so that more Moroccan dreams need not wait any longer.

On behalf of all of us at HAF, we wish you total success, happiness, and health and extend our heartfelt appreciation for the friendship we have together.

Yours faithfully,

Dr. Yossef Ben-Meir

President, High Atlas Foundation

Marrakech

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