Empowering Women for Democratic Participation

Since September 8th, 2023, the lives of Moroccans affected by the Al Haouz Earthquake have been radically altered. While people might have been more accustomed to earthquakes in the northern provinces of the kingdom, no one could have predicted that this natural disaster would strike the High Atlas Mountains and the surrounding areas, resulting in the tragic loss of over 3,000 lives and thousands of injuries.

In the wake of this devastating event, the High Atlas Foundation (HAF) sprang into action. HAF initiated a multi-faceted approach by providing both material and psychosocial support with the residents of Al Haouz, Chichaoua, Taroudant, Ouarzazate, and Marrakech provinces. The support included the distribution of essential supplies such as food, clothing, floor mats, tents, solar and water kits, sheets, mattresses, school supplies, and hygiene products. HAF's commitment to these affected communities didn't stop there; they continued to explore ways to assist these communities in both the short and long term.

In collaboration with Project Hope, HAF took an essential step by adjusting its empowerment team’s Imagine methodology to conduct a series of psychosocial workshops for the benefit of women living in the affected areas. Originally, the plan for October was to target nine villages in the Al Haouz province, aiming to have 225 women (25 per village) attend a session per week for a month. However, the response from the communities exceeded expectations, totaling 279 women.

To ensure that women could attend the training without concerns about childcare, the project thoughtfully hired educators to look after the children while their mothers participated in the sessions. Three dedicated teams were formed for these psychosocial empowerment sessions. Each team comprised two empowerment facilitators, a teacher, a psychologist, and a driver. Moreover, the teams set up large tents capable of accommodating more than 25 women, and they ensured that both breakfast and lunch were provided to create a comfortable and nurturing environment.

The primary objective of these psychosocial sessions is to help women and their children overcome and prevent severe psychological problems that can emerge following a traumatic event. These workshops also play a crucial role in helping families and communities return to a state of normalcy in terms of their relationships and social dynamics. Moreover, these sessions empower women to leverage their own resources and resilience to cope with the difficult circumstances they find themselves in.

To create a safe and nurturing environment within the community, we established a dedicated space that prioritized quiet, privacy, and important elements such as ample lighting, proper air circulation, and comfortable seating. This safe space, a tent usually provided by the HAF, aims to foster a non-judgmental and supportive atmosphere where individuals can comfortably explore their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Our psychosocial and empowerment sessions delve into understanding resilience and stress, unraveling common reactions to disasters and the varied ways stress can manifest – cognitively, physically, emotionally, spiritually, and behaviorally.

Through this exploration, we introduce the concept of resilience, both at an individual and community level, highlighting its positive impact on the journey towards embracing the "new normal." Importantly, we normalize common and individual experiences, assuring participants that their feelings and reactions are entirely valid, offering the necessary validation for their unique journeys.

The second session is a journey of emotional understanding which involves exploring the complexity of emotions. These emotions range from simple to intricate, with varying intensities, such as frustration, upset, or rage. With the 10 villages, the workshop teams explored how multiple emotions can blend, like experiencing grief alongside anger, sadness, or guilt. Understanding the subjective nature of expressing emotions is a key aspect. Therefore,  we focus on emotional management, clearing our minds, and recognizing the natural ebb and flow of emotions, acknowledging that we all have ups and downs. Furthermore, both facilitators and participants take a deeper dive into grief, a significant emotion often experienced after disasters, as it helps us process various losses. Lastly, we challenge the misconception about vulnerability – and that it's not a sign of weakness but a means to create a healing space within our community. Learning to be vulnerable, expressing our emotions, and building trust with others are vital steps in equipping ourselves to cope with whatever challenges come our way.

In the third and fourth sessions, we collaborate as facilitators and participants to achieve several goals. Firstly, exploring vulnerability and dispelling the misconception that it signifies weakness. Learning to be vulnerable and trusting others with our emotions is a crucial aspect of community healing. Equipping ourselves with this knowledge empowers us to cope with life's challenges, either independently or with trusted individuals. Next, we focus on embracing our inner resilience and finding the courage needed for our recovery journey, having learned to address and manage our emotions effectively. We also tackle the task of facing and conquering fear. Additionally, we'll delve into the concept of organic growth, exploring its significance in our path toward healing and growth.

As a member of Team 2, I was personally responsible for assisting four villages in the Ijoukak municipality of Al Haouz and one village in the Taroudant province. Some of these communities in the High Atlas were already familiar with HAF, having benefited from previous initiatives such as tree-planting, capacity-building workshops, and women's empowerment workshops.

When I was informed that HAF will be facilitating these sessions, I didn't deny the fact that I felt fear of not being able to provide emotional support to the people who had lost their close family members, friends, and homes. I, myself, believed that I was traumatized after the earthquake and needed emotional support too. However, the moment I said hello to the first community in Ijoukak, I knew that I had to set aside my worries and prepare myself for the work ahead.

The travel to these distant and frequently inaccessible regions presented numerous difficulties, particularly due to dangerous roads that further complicated access. However, it was during these challenging journeys that I began to appreciate the enormity of the task at hand and the significance of our mission.

As we continued our work in these areas, I was filled with a sense of hope and purpose. The support we are providing extends beyond immediate relief; it is about empowering these communities to regain a sense of self-sufficiency. This experience has reaffirmed my belief in the power of community, resilience, and the importance of organizations like the High Atlas Foundation and Project Hope in times of crisis.

During the psychosocial empowerment workshops, it was heartening to see the women of these villages come together, despite their own personal struggles, to support one another. The sessions aimed at helping them cope with the psychological aftermath of the earthquake and rebuild their social connections. The commitment and strength displayed by these women were truly inspiring.

Usually, the HAF empowerment team conducts four-days workshops in a successive way. However, this time, the HAF and Project Hope decided to visit the communities once a week over a period of four weeks. Therefore, by the end of each session, community members would know that we would return the following week, and this feeling would make them believe that we care enough about them to dedicate a day each week to their well-being.

While the members of these communities shared similar concerns, the level of resilience within each group varied widely. The first week was challenging for me, as 90% of the individuals in the community were still dealing with the emotional trauma and shock from the earthquake. I cannot forget the look on Fatima's face, a woman in Ijoukak, as she bitterly expressed that she and her children were terribly traumatized by the loss of everything and the fact that they couldn't change their reality. Nor could I forget the tears and silence of Zina, who lost her husband, two daughters, father, and stepmother in front of her eyes that night while having dinner, and she wasn't able to rescue any of them.

These workshops aimed to provide a safe space for individuals like Fatima and Zina to share their experiences, express their emotions, and begin the healing process. As the sessions progressed, a sense of camaraderie and mutual support began to emerge among the participants. People who had previously felt isolated now found solace in the shared understanding of their pain and the journey toward recovery. The workshops became a crucial cornerstone in rebuilding not only the physical structures of the villages but also the emotional well-being of their inhabitants. By the end of the fourth session, all the groups we visited suggested coming together once a week to support one another in managing their emotional well-being.

In conclusion, my involvement in this initiative has not only given me a deeper appreciation for the strength of the human spirit but has also highlighted the significance of continued efforts to support these communities on their journey to recovery and healing. 

The earthquake in the Al Haouz and surrounding provinces caused profound loss. NGOs mobilized their resources to provide vital assistance to the affected families. The High Atlas Foundation established partnerships with international organizations, including Project Hope. Together, we launched psychosocial empowerment sessions with communities, as we continue to distribute essential supplies, such as food, blankets, and tents, and assess and implement water infrastructure projects.

Psychosocial empowerment comprises a series of support workshops aimed at healing the emotional pain and trauma caused by the crisis. As part of a collaborative effort, 4-day workshops were introduced to the affected areas, including Tikste, Tinmel, Tizgharine, Ait Ayoub, Azro, Ashbarou, Tafza, Tagherghis, and Tifkritt. A total of 279 women and girls benefited from these workshops.

Recognizing HAF’s commitment to serving to restore the emotional balance of families, we provide parallel care of school age children. This was particularly important due to the disruption of regular schooling caused by damaged infrastructure and school buildings awaiting repair. Approximately 186 children, aged between 4 and 11, both boys and girls, benefitted from this initiative.

Upon our initial encounters with women in these areas, grief and pain in their eyes were evident. Their faces were swollen from mourning over the lost relatives and neighbors. The landscape was dominated by damaged homes, rickety fences, and scattered furniture. It was difficult for anyone to witness the extent of devastation, with the memories of these events deeply etched in the minds of those impacted.

Upon our arrival in Tinmel, we were greeted by Ms. Widdad, who guided us to the school where we met with women who were desperately seeking support.  Among them were those who had lost their entire family and those who had lost their main sources of support.

The first workshop centered on themes of mourning and surviving disaster, evoking most deep emotions. However, as the facilitators began their discussions, the woman regained composure and expressed their readiness to share their experiences.

Fatima shared her story, saying, "I don't know how I survived the wreckage and the sound of the earthquake still didn't make my head apart, wherever I went, I heard that sound." She continued, “the sound rarely leaves my head and it causes me pain in my whole body, wondering when that pain will end.” Rashida added, "I lost my son who was the age of flowers, how can I live with the situation?"

The tragedies these women experienced were heart-wrenching, and words cannot capture the extent of their suffering. And so while we cannot alter reality, the aim of these workshops is to offer hope with these women.  The workshops seek to encourage them to believe that the future can hold better days. While the material losses cannot be fully compensated, we can gain mercy and work towards supporting these individuals in their recovery.

The workshops were designed to explore the psychological trauma experienced by the women; not to rekindle the painful memories, but to assess the impact of the trauma on their well-being. The trauma of the earthquake affected every woman differently. Each woman has varying degrees and types of trauma based on their personal experiences. Each woman has unique ways of processing trauma. Given the diverse reactions to trauma, facilitating a space for all to feel comfortable expressing their feelings is challenging, and imperative.

In contrast, children responded more positively to the workshops. They actively engaged in activities such as drawing, coloring, and games that involve numbers and letters in Arabic. While schools remained closed, it was essential to create a suitable learning environment for these children. Through their engagement at the workshops, it was evident that the children held significant hope and aspirations for a better future, despite the challenging circumstances. This observation highlighted the resilience of children in coping with crises compared to adults.

The project of psychosocial empowerment recognizes that the road to recovery for those who have lost their loved ones and homes will be neither swift nor easy. But it is necessary to sustain to help these families recover their lost self under the rubble, which has not yet been recovered even though they are alive. The project will require sustained efforts and support to help these families regain their sense of selves and rebuild their lives, a task that remains ongoing.