Join ACT Foundation to help earthquake survivors in Moracco.
An earthquake hit in the Atlas mountains of Morocco in September 2023 where many indigenous villages faced the complete destruction of their houses and infrastructure. A team of ACT volunteers travelled out to offer relief support in any way it was useful.
In most villages the government and other NGOs had done a very good job to supply family tents and the very basic life essentials, however by travelling around and checking with our own eyes, we did encounter a few villages where the aid had been insufficient and ACT could jump in to supply tents, blankets and mattresses.
By living amongst the earthquake victims, we soon realised there are numerous other ways to bring some comfort and more ease. In many places the school toilets had become the main public facilities, where the whole village would come for washing and toilet needs. ACT upgraded some of these buildings by providing showers, repairing cracked walls and taking brush to hand for a fresh layer of paint.
Whole villages had to use the only few available spaces for everything: cooking, laundry, staying warm etc and we could see there was a direct need for more communal spaces. ACT purchased a large marquee, which has served for various purposes and currently it hosts the school.
We tried to supply as much as we observed that was needed, from chairs and tables, to tools and extension leads. In a village where only two electricity sockets still worked, something so simple as extension leads made a big difference, relieving small-scale tension in the community over sharing sockets for mobile phone charging, avoiding larger escalation in an already emotionally charged environment.
While on the ground, yet again we made strong connections with locals, whose support was crucial for our ease of work. We were hosted free of charge, were guided to the best places to purchase good quality and fair price materials. To raise funds we did a sponsored 10 km run together with the Marrakech running club.
The joined efforts are continuing long after the ACT volunteers flew home, with our new extended hands in Morocco, ACT Foundation continues to offer support by delivering food hampers to the most remote hilltop villages in the Atlas mountains, we sent craft materials for the local children and supplied a whole tent camp with electric heaters as soon as all tents had their electricity supply in place.
Together we are making a difference! Seemingly little supplies are making a big difference in comfort. Showing we care creates smiles. Working together for the same purpose gives an incredible sense of unity. These disaster events are an opportunity to reveal that we in truth are one global beating heart.
All the funds will go towards earthquake relief. To contact us please email info@actfoundation.org
Thank you very much for your loving help and support.
With gratitude,
ACT Foundation disaster relief team
