On Friday, September 8, a 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck Marrakech, leaving over 3,000 people dead and even more injured. The quake is the strongest to hit the nation’s center in more than a century, affecting over 300,000 people in the major city and surrounding areas. Homes have been destroyed, rescue teams are struggling to reach survivors, and families are sleeping outside in the cold in fear of aftershocks.
Hana Elabdallaoui, part of Islamic Relief’s team on the ground, shared,
“We distributed blankets and mattresses in a village high up in the mountains. The road was difficult so it took time to get there. When we reached the village people were sitting outside in the dark. Even though their homes are still standing, people say they can’t live there because the cracks in the walls are getting bigger every day and they’re scared they will collapse. One woman told me that her clothes are wet when she wakes up, because of the frost.”
On Saturday, September 9, Islamic Relief launched an emergency response and is working with local partners to provide humanitarian assistance including food; essential non-food items including blankets and mattresses; and temporary shelter.
Morocco is slowly becoming more arid and is highly vulnerable to climate change. Increased temperatures and changing rainfall patterns are expected to lead to recurring drought and a subsequent decrease in agricultural productivity. In turn, families across the country are projected to suffer loss of livelihood and major food insecurity.
Islamic Relief has made a commitment of $1 million to help families across Morocco.
Together, with two local partners, we are working to help provide those in need with the following:
So far, we’ve distributed more than 1,000 blankets, mattresses, and hygiene kits.
In addition, our sustainable livelihood intervention in Morocco aims to improve climate readiness in the agricultural sector and provide access to employment opportunities to young entrepreneurs with climate resilient business ideas through agribusiness incubator services – access to land, infrastructure, and training for the purpose of honing skills and launching farm businesses.
Thanks to you, we’ve been able to accomplish so much. But there’s still so much more to do. By continuing to support our efforts in Morocco, you can help make a difference in the lives of those in desperate need.