Twin sisters, Ghallana and Aghlahem, have become examples of hope and betterment for their community in the Bir Gandus municipality located in the Aousserd province. Growing up in this quiet community, they shared not only a home but a deep-seated desire to improve the position of women and create a better future for all.

From elementary school to college, the pair were inseparable, driven by their shared love of economics and science. Though their path is characterized not just by academic success, but also a shared commitment to change. Their relationship grew stronger as they overcame life's obstacles and challenges, and enjoyed every success together. Over time their commitment to change developed into a movement that brought together women of their community, under the banner of empowerment, to drive change in the Dakhla-Oued Eddahab region. The result being the formation of the Tidargit Tsamouh Alliance.

Led by Ghallana and Aghlahem, the Tidargit Tsamouh Alliance, comprises five women's cooperatives, representing 25 strong rural women committed to empowering their peers throughout the region. The Alliance is changing the story for rural women by encouraging self-reliance and a sense of community. It´s mission, which was articulated during their participatory planning sessions which prompted candid discussion among stakeholders, is to advance women's rights and expand their involvement in local decision-making.

As participants of the regional program, ´The Participatory Planning and Implementation of Community Initiatives in Dakhla Oued Ed Dahab Region´, implemented by the High Atlas Foundation (HAF) in collaboration with the U.S. Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), the Alliance benefited from workshops, capacity-building activities, training and community engagement initiatives.

This included participation in the International Exhibition of Local Products in Guelmim province on 26 July 2024. A noteworthy accomplishment for the Alliance, as the sole alliance from the Aousserd Province in attendance. Further, Ghallana and Aghlahem were joined by 14 Alliance women who took advantage of a three-day study visit to Boujdour province on March 16-18, 2024, where they met, shared experiences with and learnt from Civil Society Organizations in the Laayoune Sakia El Hamra region.

The Alliance also organized and participated in seven community forums with the decision makers (communal council and local authorities) to discuss local issues and concerns such as access to healthcare and sanitation, stray dogs, and electricity cuts as well as the continued ability to benefit from a free unite for producing couscous, a key priority for the Alliance´s continued operation.

The regional program, with the support of HAF and MEPI, provided a framework to encourage group action and strategic advocacy, giving women the opportunity to become leaders in their communities. Ghallana and Aghlahem´s tenacity and resolve, before and after the program´s assistance, demonstrate that women can overcome cultural obstacles and change their own lives if they come together and are supported with the right resources. In addition to inspiring a new generation of female leaders, Ghallana and Aghlahem have empowered their community, demonstrating that real change starts with a common goal, the guts to take action, and support for programs that put women's empowerment first.