Empowering Women for Democratic Participation

On December 09, a Farmer to Farmer (F2F) team conducted an IMAGINE workshop for 18 members of Nissae Tinmel Cooperative in Douar Tinmel, Ijoukak Commune, al Haouz Province.

These women were eager as this was the first training they ever attended. At the same time, they were a little bit shy; that was when a member of the team broke the ice by giving the team a clear idea about their projects. Soon, the workshop was launched and the women committed to participating in what the facilitator was presenting.

What grabbed my attention the most was the openness of these women throughout the day: they came out of their shells as they absorbed the main keys and terms of the training.

Another good characteristic that these women possess is honesty. They were ready to admit their flaws and ready to pursue CHANGE:

“Fear is what holds most of us back from realizing our dreams. We always wait for others to enter our world in order to help us know our dreams without stepping out of our comfort zone,’’ said Ouidad.

The facilitator asked two questions that brought out the best from these women. The first had to do with their strength, and in this they demonstrated cooperation and confidence: “Relying on me in every step,” “making the others happy,” “being encouraged,” and “helping the others” were some of their answers.

Switching to their weaknesses, the women did not feel ashamed to share honestly among each other: “Being illiterate,” “being disappointed,” and “being unable to provide my kids with things they need” were the common answers.

These women’s showed that they want to make their lives better, and they have a willingness and commitment as keys to the change they yearn for.

One of the other good qualities these women possess is cooperation, and this is clearly demonstrated in the photo showing the literate women helping the illiterate ones understand a workshop’s exercise.

It is impressive how they committed with full emotion to the four days of training. They laughed, cried, shared their fears, and, most importantly, encouraged each other. Indeed, that is the true meaning of a cooperative.

What was most noticeable about these women and grabbed my attention is that they all have a special sparkle in their eyes. They are all eager to learn and improve themselves. One of the beneficiaries said that she was saving money in order to go visit a psychologist, but this workshop gave her an opportunity to talk her heart out, talk about her fears and her worries. ‘I feel I am lucky,’ she said.

Getting positive feedback at the end of each Imagine workshop gives us energy and desire to empower every woman in Morocco.

When I think about my conversations with members of the High Atlas Foundation, I realize there are a list of challenges in Morocco’s development. Morocco has untapped potential. There is a plethora of smart, educated people who are willing to work yet are overlooked. Women across Morocco, unfortunately, fall into this category. Luckily for Nora Fitzgerald Belahcen, she had the resilience to overcome gender inequality and pursue her dream of opening Amal, while helping to build an empire of women who can one day do the same. I write of Nora's story in hopeful spirits that her determination and passion will inspire other women to follow.

Nora was born in Salé, near Rabat, with parents who were drawn to Morocco for a less materialistic life that was more spiritual and meaningful. Her family moved to California to become teachers when she was a young girl. It was there that she gained her independent spirit by going to the grocery store by herself at age three. Nora moved back to Morocco at a still  young age, but this time to Marrakech. She describes it as a sleepy town in the time before large-scale development, a place where you would frequently meet people you knew because it was that small. 

So, why Nora? How did she become a successful, powerful business woman, and why have others not done the same? Nora is what you would call an “empath”—someone who finds it worse to see someone else in trouble than herself. She does not like the sense of powerlessness and wants to make things right for people no matter how much she knows them. However, she never imagined herself in a life of service. It happened much later, just happenstance, and nothing in her life had prepared her for it. She traces it back to a moment, at the age of 26, when a beggar on the streets once said to her, “Every day has a provision from God.” How is there a world we created where homelessness is the reality? How can we all participate in this world? Nora did not have a choice; she felt she had witnessed human pain and suffering in a way for which she couldn’t look away.

Changing people’s lives for the better is about immediate action and perseverance. Nora began to write emails to friends and families in search of support. Over time, she became involved with helping more women. For about five to six years, she collected direct donations and conducted informal fundraising. She became exhausted and emotionally drained. What was going to happen the minute the donations ceased? All she had worked so hard to achieve would be lost. She felt compassionate, but not intelligent. 

She then saw the Casablanca version of what would soon be Amal in Marrakech. “I didn’t feel big enough or powerful enough to do that. It was nowhere close to a reality I could manifest.” Little did she know, when you start with one woman, as she did in 2011, it would develop into something bigger, as happened in 2012 when the Amal Women’s Training Center and Moroccan Restaurant officially came to be. It is a non-profit organization in Marrakesh, Morocco, that helps disadvantaged women gain work experience by training them in the preparation of Moroccan and international food. 

From the outside, it may look like Nora did all of this with ease. As you can see, she put everything she had into making Amal the success it is today. And yet still, there is a conflicting juxtaposition between the challenge and the outcome. “There is a big burnout rate when working in development. Despite all of this promise, a lot of people in positions of authority are not treating those as they should. It is a constant tug and pull. At times, everything is going great, and at other moments, everything comes crashing down.”

Women’s empowerment is more than just a capitalist definition of women getting paid for labor. Nora reflects on her time spent at Amal and notes that each woman has a different beginning of their story. Some come in with a lot of confidence while others come in with an obvious difficulty in even making eye contact because they don’t believe what they are saying holds value. Through all the trials and tribulations, Nora took her passion, an idea, no resources, and built a women's cooperative where over 300 women have gone through the program, with many more to come.

There is a quote from Nora that will stick with me forever, and translates to how Morocco should approach incorporating women into sustainable development. “Building on your call to action, there is never a convenient time to do this. There’s never a convenient time to be brave, so be brave now.”