°®Âþµº

Crisis response requires immediate action and long-term strategic relief work driven by the urgent needs of survivors.

Following Morocco’s September 8th earthquake, the vital relief efforts in the region are still in dire need of material and financial support.

Nationwide solidarity efforts have created a framework for ongoing crisis relief in the weeks following the lethal earthquake that transformed life in Morocco’s Al Haouz region.

Massive waves of social media organising created networks across Morocco to facilitate the movement of physical and material support. Support came through both formal and informal channels as people mobilised locally, filled blood donation centres, and rushed to sites of crisis.

"Culturally attuned and well-informed care with a focus on the needs of survivors grappling with severe trauma is essential"

Actions taken in the aftermath of the earthquake highlight the creativity that working to address catastrophe in severely under-resourced regions necessitates.

From in the first two weeks after the earthquake to resources such as and how they can be contacted, support and solidarity have taken myriad forms.

International groups have provided crucial support through collaboration with local groups on the ground. For example and in tandem with the Amal Center’s work to address widespread food insecurity, World Central Kitchen recently to more efficiently place hot meals in the hands of those affected.

Organisations and associations working on the ground continue to stress the importance of well-organised relief efforts, particularly emphasising the necessity of working with local NGOs that don’t face the same barriers to entry and are more familiar with the local context than international organisations.

Working with groups based locally is not only more effective but These coordinated and collaborative efforts prevent situations where vulnerable populations are made more vulnerable through misguided, even when well-intentioned, attempts at aid by individuals.

Culturally attuned and well-informed care with a focus on the needs of survivors grappling with severe trauma is essential. In efforts to address the personal and community traumas resulting from the loss and devastation the earthquake caused, have been widely circulated, with attention on finding providers that can communicate with earthquake survivors in Taschelhit, the widely spoken language of the region’s Amazigh communities.

Keeping Al Haouz in mind: What does relief look like now?

Direct financial support remains essential. Survivors are already looking towards winter as the need for temporary housing mounts. The shortage of tents and other short-term solutions sparks fear of another disaster, one where homeless survivors face the cold season without the necessary support. ÌýOverwhelmingly, forms of temporary housing, winter clothing items, and sanitary supplies are the most requested donations.

Thinking in the context of the region’s long-term development, the 6.8 magnitude earthquake highlighted the monumental disparities in critical infrastructure and access to resources between urban Morocco and the country’s vast rural areas. Questions about the Moroccan government’s approach to response situated alongside an on-the-ground volunteer movement working expressly in solidarity with survivors create concerns about the sustainability of response in the coming months.

Those living in impacted areas hope that efforts to rebuild villages serve as a flag for the government to increase investmentsÌýin promoting access to necessary human and physical infrastructure in the High Atlas moving forward.

Ongoing aid work

Knowing how, when, and where to offer support in the aftermath of tragedy can be overwhelming. compiled by Politics4Her, a Morocco-based digital platform advocating for the inclusion of women and girls in politics. Additionally, here are a few brief profiles of organisations facilitating ongoing relief efforts.

: This Rabat-based nonprofit focuses on improving the living conditions of those living in Morocco’s isolated mountainous regions. Modelling transparency in the process of collecting and distributing aid, El Baraka Angels has served over 7,000 families in the month following the earthquake. to support their work and updates on their distribution c.

(SOS Villages Morocco): Under the honorary presidency of Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Hasnaa, SOS focuses on long-term care for children in distress. Collaborating with other organisations and businesses on the ground, SOS has in several of the impacted douar. Information on how to donate .

(INSAF): Working for the rights of women and children in Morocco, by highlighting how communities have come together in the weeks post-earthquake. To support this organisation providing direct assistance to families, .

: Morocco’s food bank continues to distribute essential food and sanitary goods to douars throughout the impacted region. Well-connected in the region and grounded in daily acts of solidarity, . Funds can be .

Madeline Turner is an anthropological researcher working and writing at the intersections of food, culture, politics, agroecology, and storytelling

Follow her on Twitter:Ìý