5 Ways to Help the Earthquake Survivors and With Disaster Relief in Morocco
Current Events
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Sep 11, 2023
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3 MIN READ
Image source: Twitter and AFP
With more than 2,500 people dead and more than 2,600 injured, Morocco is struggling from a devastating earthquake that has destroyed homes and whole villages in around Marrakech and especially throughout the surrounding High Atlas Mountains.
The 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck Morocco late Friday night and was noted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) as the strongest earthquake to hit the region in more than a century, according to this Washington Post article. Nearly 1,500 people have died in the province of Al Haouz at the foot of the Atlas Mountains, where the quake was most devastating.
Rescue missions are ongoing as the Moroccan government is racing (and struggling) to get all available resources as well as search and rescue operations (coming in from outside countries as well) to all affected areas.
Many of us just last winter cheered on the Moroccan National Men's Football team in their thrilling and inspirational play at the FIFA World Cup, as they honored their mothers after winning games and dropped in sujood to thank Allah (S) throughout their games. Now the people of our Morocco need our help to pull through and rebuild their lives in wake of this devalstating earthquake.
Here's how we can help from where we are:
1. Donate to IRUSA's relief efforts in Morocco. Haute Hijab partnered with IRUSA last spring to fundraise for relief efforts when two terrible earthquakes wreaked havoc in Turkey and Syria, and we urge you to support their emergency relief efforts now in Morocco. Their work in disaster relief is backed by years of experience assessing and creating programs to help in the immediacy of disasters and then with long-term help.
2. ICNYU's Imam Khalid Latif is working with LaunchGood to raise money for disaster relief efforts in Morocco. All funds raised through this campaign are being used by Human Appeal USA. Writes Imam Khalid, "Our collective goal is clear and vital: to deliver essential food, clean water, and crucial medical supplies, providing hope and immediate relief to our brothers and sisters enduring this hardship."
3. BLOOM Charity, whose co-founder Amina Shams we wrote about last November, is an organization that builds playgardens (and enrichment programs) at orphanages in Morocco, which "provides institutionalized Moroccan orphans with opportunities for unstructured outdoor experiences establishing sensory gardens and play spaces in Moroccan orphanages.” They reported that all the orphanages they support were, Alhamdullilah, reported to be safe during the earthquake. They recommend donating to Human Appeal USA (which we wrote about above) and Global Giving.
4. Education for All Morocco (@efa_morocco on Instagram) is also fundraising through Global Giving to specifically help the boarding houses they manage for teenage girls, who are pursuing their education: "There has been significant damage to all of our houses [in the High Atlas region]. We are now trying to get updates from the girls who were back in their villages. In addition to repairing our houses, we anticipate emergency and longer-term support for the girls and their families. Any help you can give at this time will be gratefully received." Donations to this campaign will help to repair these boarding houses and support the communities where these girls are from with short-term and long-term disaster aid.
5. The Morocco Food Bank, Banque Alimentaire du Maroc, is a nonprofit created in 2002 which collects food from various donors and distributes it "through a network of associations and social protection institutions." You can donate through their website here.
And always, never underestimate the power of du'a/prayer. Ya Allah (S), help the people of Morocco in every way as they manage their grief and shock and work to recover from this terrible earthquake. Ameen.
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