Earthquake Fund for High Atlas Girls

Hi everyone,

As many of you know, I have been been deeply connected to the communities of girls' in the High Atlas region of Morocco since I was an English teacher there in 2019.

Since 2019, I have remained in close contact with over 70 girls from this region - following their lives as they leave school and make their first steps into the adult world, and trying my best to support them wherever I can.

This ranged from having 10 girls who came from the mountains to study in Marrakech living in my 2 bed apartment (which affectionately became known as the commune), to helping girls find part-time jobs to support their studies, paying for girls' English courses and rent, and generally being a big sister figure to many of these amazing girls who are pioneering the way as the first generation of educated girls from this part of Morocco.

Just before midnight on the 8th of September a tragic earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale hit Morocco. Sadly, the communities where I lived and worked were the epicenter of the earthquake. Many of the villages are completely gone and I lost some of the 50 girls. Many gils lost family members.

In particular, many girls were unable to return to university in Marrakech as their family homes were destroyed and their parents need to save money for rebuilding, meaning that they cannot help pay for girls' rent and food in Marrakech. If girls stay in the village and can't continue their studies, often their only option is to get married. At this point, I realized that the need was beyond anything I could provide personally, and decided to launch this project to support girls from the High Atlas to start or continue their university studies.

Although I have been helping where I can over the past four years, the scale of need is now larger than I can support personally. This is a fund for girls that will support those whose futures have been impacted by the earthquake.

Although I have been helping where I can over the past four years, the scale of need is now larger than I can support personally. This is a fund for girls that will support those whose futures have been impacted by the earthquake.

Girls from High Atlas villages face unimaginable challenges in order to continue their studies, and the simplest help can make the greatest difference to their lives and futures. I hope that we can come together to support these girls as they forge a new way forward for girls from their region and future generations.

What does the fund offer?

Girls supported by the fund receive a monthly bursary of 500 dirhams. This enables them to pay food costs, transport costs and rent in a shared room.

At the beginning of the academic year, girls receive a one-off 250 dirham book grant.

Some girls are not studying in public universities and are instead studying vocational training courses including patisserie and pharmacy, and the fund covers their school fees also.

2023/2024

In the 2023/24 academic year, this fund supporting 15 girls to continue their studies. You can read more about each girl in the updates section below.

2024/2025

A number of girls are still in need of support this year, and I am committed to supporting their studies until they have finished their degrees or vocational training programs.

Naima's Story

A story that is particularly close to my heart is that of my friend and former student Naima. Naima lost her whole family in the earthquake. She was airlifted from her home, but we then heard news that she had later passed away in hospital. 8 days later, I received a phone call to let me know that Naima was in fact alive and possibly in the military hospital in Marrakech. With a group of her friends, we took a taxi and I searched every ward in the hospital, until we finally found Naima in the last ward that we visited.

It's a miracle that Naima survived, but she lost her right arm. Naima was in the final year of her degree, and is also a henna artist (right-handed). Despite an extended stay in intensive care, Naima somehow managed to sit her final year exams and graduate from her degree in 2024, however her wish for the future is to get a prothetic arm to move forward with life.

This fund is also raising money to support the cost of a prothetic arm. Once we have met with the surgeon in November, more detailed information about the cost will be shared.

Some suggested donations: