Moroccan Award for Responsible Tourism

Friday, 19 June 2009 02:00 PM

The Moroccan Tourist Board awarded the 2009 trophy for Social and Economic Development (International Category) to Naturally Morocco.

Naturally Morocco has an ongoing project supporting sustainable economic and social development in communities in the foothills of the High Atlas Mountains. Assisted by Naturally Morocco’s Moroccan staff based in nearby Taroudant, all developments are managed and run by the village people who identify how the local population can be supported in promoting local products or manufacturing new ones. After initial training or advice, the local population are empowered to run the activity.

The soap making project involved Naturally Morocco’s Moroccan & UK teams and our client consultants in setting up a new source of income in training the group in safety, production process and marketing, buying goods such as raw materials which are not available to them due to limitations of literacy or availability locally and providing ongoing technical support.

Naturally Morocco’s clients contribute by the purchase of locally made goods: olive oil; pottery & soap. An interest in the sustainable nature of the production methods is promoted by demonstration and/or an explanation of the ingredients used. Buying a cookery book offered after taking cookery classes at our Taroudant guest house for which a donation is made towards local community projects, bringing suitable donations of clothes or consumables and equipment for the school. All donations are made to parents or the school teacher and not directly to children. Naturally Morocco pays people in the local community for services provided for our clients e.g supply of meals and demonstrations. 

Fair Distribution of Resources
The project involves a wide range of age groups, both sexes and the major livelihoods in the village; the major occupations in the village are production of olive oil, argan oil; pottery and  mixed farming. Women are heavily involved in farming and childrearing as well as preparing all meals using local products; we have helped them as follows:  soap making facilities are run by the women of one family, using raw materials produced in the community; clients observe and sample bread-making and a traditional lunch in private homes (different homes are opened to visitors during visits to ensure an equitable distribution of income) and financial support of a women’s literacy project.  Men. The potters demonstrate their skills to visitors and direct sales to visitors are assisted by us advising the potters on the production of products which are most saleable. Our staff gave language lessons to US Peace Corps Volunteers who assisted the potters by helping them with marketing, quality control and new technology. Children. A litter tidy-up campaign involved most of the local children of the village. This was linked to an educational programme in the school ensuring that children appreciate issues such as waste disposal, conservation of resources and recycling. Gifts of items by visitors and Naturally Morocco’s team in Taroudant to the local school and inhabitants include regular donations of clothes for all ages; writing materials, a computer, a globe, books, a TV with VCR for the school and furniture. Funds were raised to pay for a young girl to attend a local boarding school because she had a disability which prevented her from walking to the local school.

By: Richard Markham