RAJA KHAYRAT

Marrakech- 2,946 people were killed and 5,674 people were injured in the September 8 earthquake that struck Al Haouz province of Morocco. Thousands are still missing in the country. The Moroccan government granted emergency assistance worth from 140,000 dirhams to 30,000 dirhams to earthquake survivors, whose houses were completely destroyed in the earthquake. The earthquake survivors, whose houses were partially destroyed, were given a small amount of money. In Al Haouz province, there are many people left homeless by the earthquake and they have to stay in tents. Women, who stay in tents with their children, face more difficult living conditions in winter.

The camp built in the Imzine village of Asni in al-Haouz province serves as a model among ten other camps built in the same region for the earthquake survivors. A team consisting of five women is responsible for baking bread and cooking for 70 families living in the camp.

‘We are in solidarity with each other’

Saeeda Emzion, one of the women living in the camp, lost her 11-year-old daughter in the earthquake. “My house completely collapsed, and the neighbors rescued my husband and my son; however, my daughter died. Here, we are like a family; we are always in solidarity with each other. Women console me and ease my sadness.If we did not have this solidarity and synergy, I would not be able to overcome this tragedy,” she told NuJINHA.

‘Tents cannot protect us from cold’        

Emphasizing that the temperature is below zero significantly at night, Saeeda Emzion said, “The tents cannot protect us from cold. We have blankets but they cannot keep us warm.”

‘Solidarity makes us forget our sufferings to some extent’

Amzin Khadija is another woman living in the camp after her house was destroyed in the earthquake. “On the first night of the earthquake, the residents of the region went out to escape. Since the camp was built for us, we have lived here, waiting for our houses to be rebuilt. In the camp, we have to use one bathroom and the toilets according to a specific schedule. A humanitarian organization gave us containers filled

with water. However, the weather is getting colder and taking a shower inside the containers becomes difficult for us,” said Amzin Khadija, emphasizing that the solidarity among women makes them forget their sufferings to some extent despite the difficult living conditions in the camp. “Women even hold celebrations inside the camp, such as birthdays and weddings.”

‘Solidarity gives us the strength to live’

Mina Al-Bahi, another woman living in the camp, also said that the people living in the camp were like a family. “We help each other and be in solidarity with each other. This solidarity gives us the strength to live. We have shared the responsibilities; young women are responsible for baking bread and cooking. We see our destroyed houses whenever we go to the village. We tell tales and stories to each other in order to forget the difficult living conditions in the camp. An international organization gave us a big tent and we use it as a school for primary school students. The middle-school and high school students go to school in Marrakesh. Every weekend, they come here to visit their families. Despite the difficult living conditions in the camp, we are in solidarity with each other to heal our wounds until we return to our village.”