Driving to the cooperative, 30 minutes outside central Marrakech, the bustle of the city gave way to rolling hills and stunning views of the distant Atlas Mountains. Museera, a Master's student from Washington, USA, and Linda, a fellow intern from Algoma University in Canada, were my companions on a trip to interview women from the cooperative about their experience during and after an IMAGINE workshop facilitated by the High Atlas Foundation (HAF).

The building was nestled between an olive tree grove and a vegetable garden, simple in structure and belying the warmth we would receive inside. 

Entering the building, I was immediately drawn to the wooden weaving looms; three women were working, two on rugs in progress and the third using two brush paddles to prepare raw yarn for spinning. Back in Canada, one of my best friends uses her aunt’s loom to make scarves and blankets, so I felt familiar with the process. 

After introducing ourselves to our contact, Samira Driouich, we all sat together and tried our hand at spinning yarn. It’s a lot harder than it looks! Among a sweet moment of learning and laughing together, I felt a strong sense of companionship with these kind women.

Before we began interviews, Samira brought us upstairs to break bread with the women and relax. They were just finishing up with a G Adventures tour group who had been feasting on the msemmen (layered flatbread), khobz (flatbread), orange jam, fresh olives, fried beans, egg omelettes, basbousa cake, and mint tea. As we waited for the group to finish, the women spontaneously began singing a traditional welcoming song! It was so full of life and joy and fun as they pulled other travellers into dancing and clapping along. 

I took a moment to talk to a few of the guests and discovered they were all from Canada, too! Again, the little flashes of home reminded me of how small a world we live in. They were all eager to expound on how amazing their tour was and to learn how the High Atlas Foundation was related to our visit. I found out that, through a partnership with Planeterra and G Adventures, up to four tour groups visit the cooperative each day, learning about the process and progress these women have achieved. I think it’s really important for tours to integrate these authentic cultural experiences for people on vacations, so they know what’s going on “behind the scenes” of the country they visit.

As we cleared the tables and warmed more tea, Museera and Linda fell into an informal interview with Samira, starting with questions about how the co-op got started and what it was like to begin such a progressive initiative. As we’ve heard time and time again, the 2023 earthquake was what really destabilized the area. Although the families were given tents and basic provisions, they were worried that nobody really and truly cared; that they would not be checked in on. 

The CEO and founder of High Atlas Foundation, Yossef Ben-Meir, is deeply familiar with these women because he was the one who came out to visit them. He was the one who believed in them and cared for them when it felt like all of Morocco was in peril. The women maintain that he continues to visit, sometimes even for weeks at a time, and considers himself a worker among them, embodying the egalitarian perspective that all people are equal.

From their own words, the IMAGINE workshop was a turning point for all of the women in the co-op. Its basis lies in empowering women through educated, thoughtful discussions that encourage and inspire them to grow as leaders in their communities. Often emotional, these workshops enable discussion of introspective topics (in seven key areas: emotions, relationships, sexuality, body, money, work, and spirituality), which facilitate broader conversations about identifying personal goals and priorities, topics many of these women say they hadn’t considered before.

Afterwards, the High Atlas Foundation also provided the tools and instructions for weaving rugs, laying the foundation not only for a business but for a livelihood. Just a short note about this process: it’s entirely sustainable and sourced from local goods! The wool comes from local sheep, is processed by the women at the cooperative, and is dyed with natural herbs to achieve the variety of hues seen in the carpets. They use recycled clothing to make colorful seat covers and rugs that adorn the dining room. They also crochet, another activity I am familiar with (although my creations aren’t nearly so impressive), and have various wares displayed around the building.

Although we had eaten during our chat with Samira, the women encouraged us to pull up stools and share in the tagine lunch they had prepared–to the point where they were preparing scoops of khobz and the dish to feed us by hand! We had no choice but to indulge and ended up gladly stuffed by the end of the meal. 

Instead of proceeding with the IMAGINE surveys individually, Linda (our translator) suggested we do them in an open discussion format so the women could discuss openly, as they always do. The discussion was a lovely and enlightening experience, where all of the women shared their insights on how their perspectives of themselves had changed with respect to levels of personal confidence, achievement, and community. 

What really struck me was when I asked my sole question, “How do you still come into work, even on the days where you wake up feeling tired and you’d rather stay home or do anything else?” I received the overwhelming response that they don’t ever feel like this, they don’t feel depressed, and that their work invigorates them and brings them joy!

It feels, from a Canadian perspective, like this is what people are really looking for in a career: a sense of accomplishment, fulfillment, and deep relationships with their coworkers. The fact that these women not only found it but also built this from the ground up made me feel a sense of peace and deep respect for their newfound autonomy.

We may have strayed off-topic frequently, but it was for conversations and insights that I don’t think you could get with a more formal process. I cherished bearing witness to their laughter and pondering, and to the little inside jokes and nudges between them while we spoke. Sitting in a circle, sharing tea, and cozying up on their handmade rugs and blankets reinforced their declarations that we were like family.

Waiting for our ride back into town, I took a moment to stand among the olive trees and breathe in the fresh air. I listened to warblers, sparrows, and greenfinches calling and flitting through the trees. As I stood, I thought of the place's natural beauty and the importance of empowering women in remote communities to become leaders in their families and communities. 

I reflected on how these women have changed their perspectives on how they want their children and grandchildren to grow up, and about all the opportunities waiting for them to explore. These women are not meek and they are not shy, they are powerful and resilient keystones of the beautiful mosaic of Morocco. It is wonderful to be able to listen and learn from their hardships and their growth, to be told that anything you put your mind to, you can achieve.

The initiatives of the High Atlas Foundation and its IMAGINE workshops are transformative for those who participate directly and for all who witness the women’s successes. I am so excited to return to the Achbarou Cooperative (definitely with some dirhams to buy a rug!) and to meet the women at the other cooperatives supported by HAF.