In the wake of Morocco’s devastating earthquake, young volunteers from Taroudant have taken it upon themselves to respond to desperate calls for help. Through social media, these activists have gathered support and rallied volunteers from across the city and beyond to coordinate aid distribution to the hundreds of affected communities. Milk, nappies, jam, and bedding are being transported through human chains and loaded onto trucks bound for the remote villages scattered across the Atlas mountains. This grassroots effort has proven to be more efficient than official help, reaching those in need at a faster pace.
21-year-old Ilyas emphasizes the urgency of their work, stating that without their swift action, many lives would be lost. The Moroccan government has faced criticism for rejecting assistance from countries like France and Germany. However, Amina, a volunteer, expresses her trust in the government’s decision-making, believing that they know best.
While donations pour in, the most significant challenge lies in organizing and delivering aid promptly. Trucks can be heard revving as they depart from Taroudant, with the destination determined last-minute based on urgent calls for help. Priority is given to villages that have yet to receive assistance.
The impact of the earthquake on mountain communities is severe. Peak after peak stretches into the distance, and volunteer vehicles navigate treacherous orange dirt roads overlooking steep drops. In Ouge Dimt village, a man rushes to welcome a van carrying rugs, mattresses, and tarpaulins, providing crucial shelter for the devastated inhabitants. Yahya Ibrahim, who tragically lost his teenage sons in the earthquake, attributes their inability to be rescued to fate and believes it to be God’s will.
For villages in the Atlas Mountains, daily survival has always been a struggle. With their livelihoods shattered, homes destroyed, and grain stores buried beneath rubble, the relief brought from the city becomes crucial for their long-term survival. Mina, a returning resident from the US who cared for her parents during the pandemic, highlights the community’s trauma and their current inability to think beyond the immediate challenges they face.
The imminent threat of rain adds to their concerns, as villagers confront the prospect of cold, wet nights. Mina tirelessly searches for tents to provide shelter for everyone. However, the future of the village’s next generation worries her the most. With houses in ruins and little hope for rebuilding, she fears that the younger generation may no longer wish to continue living in these mountains.
These often-overlooked villages, lost in time, hope that they won’t be forgotten as the spotlight inevitably fades from Morocco’s largest earthquake in recent history. The plea is clear: “We need help from whoever will give it.” Prayers for assistance echo through the remnants of a village that has been torn apart, leaving behind a haunting question of who survived and who is still missing. It’s a race against time to save Morocco’s quake survivors, as the heartbreaking choice of saving loved ones or one’s child becomes a reality.
