You Can Dream. Stories of Moroccan Women Who Do.

A fellow RPCV produced an amazing video of six remarkable Moroccan women who have overcome all sorts of odds to succeed and to share their knowledge with other women. One of the women profiled is my counterpart, Amina Yabis, President of the the Cherry Buttons Cooperative. Her story and that of all the other women are truly inspiring. They exemplify grassroots development at its very core. Please share with friends and family and spread the word that women's empowerment, as Amartya Sen would likely say, is one of the many if not the most effective tool for alleviating poverty for women and their children, reducing infant mortality, reducing the number of births, improving the health of women and their children, and creating more accountable and representative governments around the world.


You Can Dream. Stories of Moroccan Women Who Do from cortney healy on Vimeo.

For more stories on Women in the Muslim World, please visit: http://womensvoicesnow.org/

Language and Identity: The U.N. Weighs In on Morocco

There's been an interesting development in what I like to call Morocco's language and identity conundrum.  The U.N's Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination issued a statement calling on Morocco to recognize Tamazight as an official language.  It's a remarkable piece of good news for the Imazighen.  International recognition is sometimes needed to exert pressure on those who hold the purse strings or serve as the regulatory gatekeepers.  I'm impressed by the Amazigh lobby's audacity to present its case to a much wider audience.  This pronouncement may just be one of many to come and may not reach its full potential, but it is nonetheless noteworthy. Speaking to the "international community" may help recruit more advocates and funding.

The Kingdom seems to be in agreement with promoting Tamazight through the newly formed Institut Royal de la Culture Amazigh, but some within the Amazigh community may feel that progress is much too slow.  From what I can understand, a number of recommendations were presented to the committee who then endorsed certain provisions.  I mentioned earlier in my first Language and Identity blog that there were activists pushing for the constitution to be written in Tamazight.  I don't think that option was presented, but the one granting Tamazight official status in the constitution was and the U.N. has agreed to back it.

Another issue that I have heard come up often among those closely aligned with their Amazigh roots is the restrictions on the issuance of names.  Currently under Moroccan law, Amazigh names are not permitted because they do not fall within what a judge deems to be "Moroccan".  The Amazigh argue that Amazigh names are Moroccan and that their names are more Moroccan than those sanctioned by the state, which tends to favor Arab names.  Recommendation #7 addresses this issue, which should shine more light on the law and perhaps lead to a restoration of Amazigh names.  It's bizarre to me that a government would burden itself over something like names, but it just goes to show how issues of identity are entrenched in Moroccan society and manifested in government policy.  I have not seen an official response from the government on the recent requests on Maghrebia as of yet.  I got the article from the Morocco Board News Service.  It is still fairly new.  Who knows?  Maybe these recommendations by the U.N. will bolster their claims and accelerate a redress to their demands.

One thing is for sure.  These "requirements" as the article states are bound to arouse a lot of debate about what Morocco,was, is, and will be.  The conundrum continues.


U.N. URGES MOROCCO TO INCLUDE TAMAZIGHT AS AN OFFICIAL LANGUAGE

Washington / Morocco Board News Service - On August 27, 2010 , at its seventy-seventh session, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CRED) examined the reports submitted by Morocco in accordance with Article 9th of the UN Convention.

The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CRED) of the United Nations has issued the following requirements from Morocco.

1 – To provide information on the composition of its population, the use of mother tongues, languages commonly spoken, and other indicators of ethnic diversity, and any other information from targeted socio-economic studies, conducted on a voluntary basis, in full respect of privacy and anonymity, so that the committee can evaluate the situation of the Moroccan population economically, socially and culturally.

2 – To enshrine in Morocco’s constitution the principle of the primacy of international treaties over domestic legislation, to allow individuals to invoke in Moroccan courts the relevant provisions of the Convention.

3 – Add a provision in the Moroccan criminal code for those crimes committed with a racist motive to be considered as an aggravating circumstance of racial discrimination.

4 – To step up its efforts to promote the Amazigh language and culture and its teaching, and to take the necessary measures to ensure that the Amazigh people are not victims of any form of racial discrimination.

5 – To consider the inclusion in the Moroccan Constitution of the Amazigh language as an official language and also to ensure that the Moroccan government literacy efforts are done in the Amazigh language.

6 – To put special emphasis on the economic development of the areas inhabited by the Amazigh people.

7 – To clarify the meaning and the scope in its legislation regarding the concept of " the Moroccan character of given names " and to ensure full implementation by the local administrations of the Moroccan Ministry of the Interior March-2010-circular relating to the choice of first names, to ensure the inclusion of all names, especially the Amazigh ones.

8 – To revise the Moroccan Nationality Code to allow Moroccan women to transmit their nationality to their foreign spouses on equal terms with men of Moroccan nationality.

9 – To take necessary measures to ensure the full implementation of the Family Code uniformly throughout the national territory and to protect the most vulnerable categories of its population, especially women and children living in remote areas, who can be victims of double or multiple discriminations.

Source: http://www.moroccoboard.com/news/34-news-release/1176-un-urges-morocco-to-include-tamazight-as-an-official-language

Camp GLOW 2010 - Girls Leading Our World - Join Us in Saving the World!!!

Saving the world is actually easier than it seems.  For I don't know how long, the answer has been staring at me, at us, and itself, but because of tradition, culture, misguided and/or misinterpreted religious doctrine, and perhaps ego from some, the answer has been neglected and in some cases suppressed.  The answer is women.  Women have the power to transform communities, but they need a helping hand.

In my one year and a half of Peace Corps service, I have witnessed an amazing transformation in my community.  I speak of the work of my Moroccan counterpart and entrepreneur extraordinaire, Mrs. Amina Yabis who just ten years ago thought to herself that it wasn't right that the women of Sefrou, makers of some of the finest djellaba buttons in all of Morocco, gained so little from the sale of their handicraft.  In an effort to counter the middlemen, Amina and a group of women decided to take the leap of faith and form a cooperative with the goal of taking ownership of their handicraft.  With the help of Peace Corps volunteers, Amina and nine other women wrote the bylaws and secured a micro-credit loan, and just like that, the Cherry Buttons Cooperative was born.  As the coop gained notoriety for its distinctive selection of buttons, the coop began to grow.  Another volunteer arrived and helped the coop diversify its product line by providing weaving and other professional development training.  Then I arrived and began working with Amina and a former volunteer to help the coop secure a spot in the 2009 Santa Fe International Folk Art Market in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  She went, sold nearly everything in dollars, and came back with a good chunk of capital that was then applied towards the construction of a building for the cooperative.  In March of 2010, the cooperative moved all their looms to their new center and celebrated the completion of their new home.

The reason I share this story is to demonstrate that it only takes one person who is hungry and motivated to unite others, demand change, and effect change in their community.  Ten years ago, the cooperative was just an idea.  Today it has nearly 40 members, a handful of apprentices every year, provides steady employment for a number of women, produces quality products, travels all around Morocco showcasing its work, and is once again invited to participate in the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market for 2010.  

Amina believes there are many young women out there who just need the information, some start-up resources, and a support network to develop the next big enterprise.  One way by which to provide the training and empower young women is through her coop's sister association's annual Camp GLOW (Girls Leading Our World). The camp is a week-long event that brings health professionals, lawyers, star athletes, Peace Corps volunteers, and business entrepreneurs under one roof to encourage young rural women to break the cycle of dependency and to take control of their future. By exposing the young women to successful role models and by engaging in dialogue with community leaders, the young women begin to formulate ideas of what they could become. The camp is a place to exchange ideas, to network, and to build a larger support network.

One former participant was Najoua Ammzon, a 20-year old high school graduate from the small village of Tafijirt, Morocco. Prior to Camp GLOW, Najoua was unemployed and lived with her parents in her village. But after being inspired by Amina, Najoua decided that she had a lot of potential and could never return to sitting at home in her village, nor would she be happy if she simply married and became a housewife. Najoua decided to move to Sefrou to live with relatives to continue her studies so that she could, in the future, start a small business project running a teleboutique or a cyber café. She began to take French and English classes as well as study computer science and handicrafts such as knitting and embroidery. She also now regularly visits and networks with Camp GLOW facilitators who work as artisans in Sefrou taking advantage of local workshops and trainings to improve her job skills.

Najoua is just one of many examples of participants who are on their way to breaking the cycle of dependency.  Her bold move and that of many others has the potential to save the world.  You may ask how that could be.  How could Najoua's plans, for instance, to continue her studies have such an impact? When asked this question, I point to the work of Nobel Prize winning economist Amartya Sen who in his book titled Development as Freedom said that increasing the literacy of women has the effect of reducing infant mortality, reducing the overall number of childbirths, increasing life expectancy, improving the quality of life, expanding the overall economy, and creating a more representative democracy.  In a country where nearly 60% of the female population is illiterate, the need is immeasurable.  Camp GLOW coordinators and camp counselors are full believers that young rural women given the information and support will seek out opportunities that will improve their livelihood, that of their family, and that of their entire community.

So how can you help?  I and a number of Peace Corps volunteers are fundraising on behalf of the association for this year's Camp GLOW.  The camp is set to take place July 25-31.  Approximately 50 campers coming from some of the most remote villages from the Middle Atlas Mountains will gather in Temara near Morocco's capital of Rabat.  Funding for the camp is coming from multiple sources.  AIDS awareness funds, donations from partner organizations, and in-kind gifts will reduce the costs of the camp, but individual donations from you are key in making this camp possible.

Fortunately, the High Atlas Foundation (HAF), a 501(c)(3) organization founded by former Peace Corps volunteers that invests in the growth of small communities across Morocco, has offered to process and transfer all donations from U.S. donors to Morocco free-of-charge.

To donate online, simply click: http://www.highatlasfoundation.org/donate (Go to "make secure donation" in the middle).  Afterwards, VERY IMPORTANT, please send a quick email to haf@highatlasfoundation.org to let them know that your donation is for Camp GLOW.  HAF is a U.S. 501c3 nonprofit organization and will send receipts for tax purposes to all donors.

Given that HAF is donating their time in processing donations for us, I strongly urge you to use the online option.  I donated online and found the process to be super easy.  Any size donation is welcomed.  Just to give you an idea of how far your dollar can go in Morocco, an $85 donation covers nearly all expenses for one young woman for the entire week-long camp.

If you would like to contribute via snail mail, you can do so by making your check out to "High Atlas Foundation" and indicate in the check memo that it is for Camp GLOW (It is extremely important to make note of that on the check so as not to confuse your donation for Camp GLOW with a donation to the High Atlas Foundation)

Please mail your check to:

High Atlas Foundation
Park West Station
PO Box 21081
New York, NY 10025

Because this is a volunteer-run camp from both Peace Corps volunteers and the Golden Buttons Association, 100% of all donations go straight to program expenses.  There is no overhead whatsoever.

I want to thank you for taking the time to follow my blog and for supporting me throughout my Peace Corps experience.  I hope I can count on your support once again.  

I also want to thank everyone who joined the Camp GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) Morocco Cause on Facebook.  If you have yet to join, I invite you to do so: http://www.causes.com/causes/461569.  Thank you in advance for your donation.  The HAF is planning on sending us an update on June 1st of our total donations.  If you can, please donate by then.

Thank you very much for helping me, my fellow Peace Corps volunteers, and our Moroccan friends save the world.  

Development As Freedom, Illiteracy in Morocco, Hope in Tech, and Persistence

Not too long ago I finished a book titled Development as Freedom written by Nobel Prize winning economist Amartya Sen. It was a gift from a dear friend and mentor prior to my departure from Washington, DC. I didn't touch the book for about a year until I found out that I was headed to Morocco with the Peace Corps. I thought it might be pertinent to have more of an idea of what it is like to work in the developing world, as it is commonly referred to, and to understand some of the challenges that have hindered its progress; so I picked up the book and began reading it during my visit to Venezuela last summer.

At first, the book starts off with technical descriptions perhaps to fend off some of the criticism on the holistic approach to development that the author is proposing. He talks about how too often many high planning committees within leading organizations like the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, IMF, and governments take a somewhat narrow view to development considering very a small set of data before engaging in massive development schemes.

For instance, many committees focus on increasing GDP and per capita income, but sometimes in doing so neglect large segments of the population, which may never benefit from the influx of money directed to various income-generating projects. Per capita income for example takes the income of a country and simply divides the number by the estimated population. It is widely believed that a rise in per capita translates to a rise in the standard of living for that country, but this assumption often does not reflect reality as much of a country's new wealth may be concentrated only in urban centers or among a small segment of the population of wealthy individuals. Some development schemes intended to increase the wealth of a country come through in terms of raising GDP and per capita income, but at the same time exacerbate poverty and widen the wealth disparity.

This book is a must read for all those thinking about entering the international development world and plan to seek change through changes in public policy. It contrasts the policies of India, China, and a host of other countries to demonstrate how integrated public policy initiatives that focus on increasing the opportunities to participate in the electoral process, changing policies that perpetuate gender inequalities, improving the quality and outreach of education, and limiting the role of government with regards to trade have the potential to stave off widespread starvation and pandemics and gives most everyone in that country the ability to benefit from economic expansion.

Sometimes while reading the book, I felt that the author was imploring some of the countries with crumbling infrastructures to take action by showing them that, for instance, holding on to power and limiting the electoral process may be more harmful in the long run because as communication between the people and its government is suppressed so is the information needed for governments to take action to avert any crisis. Not educating the populace, which some governments do with the short-sighted intention of keeping their people docile to remain in power, has the effect of creating a populace that will not be able to compete in the global marketplace and as a result will lose its ability to trade their brain power, a country's most valuable asset, for the commodities and materials needed to sustain their economy.

Why am I writing all this? Nope, I am not getting into the business of book reviews and neither am I arguing for any public policy agenda. I am glad that I read this book because it makes me reflect upon the many instances in which public policy in Morocco, Venezuela, and even in the U.S. has prevented people from being able to live the life they wish to live

Development moving shwiya b shwiya(little by little)

In the case of Morocco, the number one issue that I feel is impeding a rapid development of its economy is the high illiteracy rate. For all my life, I've lived in countries where illiteracy was not a main issue so I rarely considered how crippling it could be. It is still hard for me to fathom that nearly 50% of the country cannot read.  Back in 2007, Magharebia reported on the results of a government survey that showed that the rate of illiteracy had come down from 43% to 38.5%, but bear in mind that this is the national average.  Within the community I work with of artisans and primarily older, rural women, the figure is still above 60%.

The situation is complicated even further as Morocco, a land that has been conquered and ruled by various dynasties and empires from both East and West, is still pulled from every corner making it necessary for its populace to be fluent in French, Spanish, Standard Arabic, and now to some degree English in order participate in the global marketplace. Other countries are in similar situations; however, when nearly half of the population cannot read the country's official language of Arabic, it just means that it has a long road to travel.

One Perspective on Why

Just to put things in context for a second, Abdelkader Ezzaki from the Faculté des Sciences de l'Education of Université Mohammed V presenting a speech at the World Congress on Reading in 1988 wrote that the French Protectorate looking to further its political and economic interests took strict control of the curriculum, made French the "superior language of literacy", and demoted Arabic to a second language in French-run schools.  Furthermore, he adds that the French established "a highly selective educational system whereby the educational opportunities were severely limited and distributed on the basis of social class."  He notes that upon Morocco gaining its independence in 1956 the general illiteracy rate stood at nearly 90%.  Crazy! Therefore, considering how far the country has come since then, some may argue rather slowly, the efforts nonetheless have made a huge difference.

Tech illiteracy presents another barrier to growth. As a number of countries in Europe, Asia, and in the Americas are devising ways to manage the information overload, the majority of the population outside of the major urban centers of the developing world are just getting the skills to create content. While many buyers have taken advantage of the low-cost online shopping alternative and sellers have capitalized on an opportunity to sell directly to customers oceans apart, only a few options of that sort exist in Morocco.

At the mercy of the bazzarist

As a small business development volunteer, illiteracy is a major challenge. When conversing with a number of artisans, most expressed the need for a broader market, namely the foreign market. One would think, well, this is doable. We create some marketing materials, identify some potential partners, and then begin reaching out. Unfortunately, due to the high rate of illiteracy, opening up new markets becomes a long-term project. If the objective is to make it sustainable, engaging in this initiative raises a number of questions and challenging scenarios.

For example:

1) I can create the initial marketing materials, but will they be able to maintain them? Are they willing to learn some of the programs and techniques to create their own? Or are they willing to pay someone else to produce and maintain them?

2) Are they willing to devote some time to learning how to type and how to use various web search tools to prospect opportunities? Or will they need to pay someone else to do this for them?

3) On customer service management, how can you contact vendors in France if your artisan cannot speak French? Is the artisan willing to learn or will he/she be willing to pay someone to translate?

Moroccan artisana is some of the finest in the world. It is highly sought after, but in most cases those who produce it rarely receive a fair compensation for their hard labor. Why? One of the main issues is illiteracy. The vast number of bazzarists that exist today are around because they have acquired a foreign language --in some cases just mastery of the spoken Moroccan Arabic dialect as some women artisans deep in the Middle Atlas region only speak a regional Amazigh dialect-- or have some technical skills that allow them to serve as the link between the buyer and the artisan. These conduits are filling a vacuum and naturally making a profit. Consequently, because most bazzarists are located in large urban centers that draw tourists or help facilitate exports, the profit for the most part stays in the urban centers further fueling their growth while the small mountain village where the artisan resides is still unable to gather sufficient capital to cover basic necessities.

It's mind blowing to see how the inability to read and write plays out in the artisan community. As long as people remain illiterate, they will be at the mercy of others. Another book I read called Export Marketing for a Small Handicraft Business by Edward Millard through Oxfam Press points out how critical the communication between customers and producers is for the producer. In Morocco, because bazzarists have direct interaction with customers, they have a better idea of what the trends are and what customers want. Sometimes a bazzarist will pass the information to a cooperative, but in most cases he will go to another cooperative to get what his customers need. Without direct contact, most producers continue to produce what they know without little to no modifications.

Hope

The situation may seem dire, but new developments in technology and government policy may improve the prospectus. Recently the Kingdom of Morocco announced an increase in funding for more literacy programs that will hopefully ameliorate the situation.  Just a few days ago in celebration of International Literacy Day on Sept. 8th, Magharebia wrote about the success of an initiative where women associations across Morocco are receiving funds to conduct Arabic language classes --  some volunteers work with some of these associations.  Additionally, they have also invested more funds as part of an emergency package to make it possible for rural children to attend school and to enforce a new compulsory education age requirement raising it to fifteen years of age.

Fortunately, advances in technology are also helping people overcome some of the literacy and tech barriers. Not too long ago, I installed Skype in several of the artisana complex computers and in the PC of one of my artisans. Doing so has allowed her and others to video conference directly with some prospective clients in France and even with some in the U.S. all for free. Where there is a language barrier, online translators are now helping people get the gist of a message enough to carry out orders.  Information that was once only available in hardback books in the aisles of various libraries is now being uploaded to the web.  Some universities in the states are now collaborating on a project where one can even take peer reviewed university level courses on the net for free (Check it out http://academicearth.org).  I hope these new development continue to grow and expand and will hopefully catch on eventually in the Maghreb.  The technology is certainly there as 3G coverage continues to expand exponentially every year.  Lastly, freeware is giving people software to learn to type, learn foreign languages, and to use popular document creation programs.

Is this bus going to .....?

I am actually in the same struggle that many Moroccans are in. I'm also illiterate to some degree. If it wasn't for the French that is posted in most urban centers and in some official document sources and the media, I would be completely lost. The other day I was traveling back to my site from a remote location and I was waiting for my bus back home. The bus as usual was not on time, but all the while buses from all sorts of different destinations going to the far reaches of Morocco where arriving and departing. I just started practicing Arabic script so at the present moment I still confuse a lot of the letters and read basic words as if I was a tape player on its last bits of battery life. Sounding out these words around people reinforces the idea that I may have mental issues and that therefore I should get first dibs on a seat and that I need to be spoken to loudly and slowly. I have no problems with this perception. I still need to hear Arabic loud and clear and I don't mind getting escorted to a seat instead of having to stiff arm someone else for it. This and many other experiences make you feel powerless because you have to rely on someone else to help you get back to your own home. I've never been in that situation and it frustrated me so much that it motivated me to tackle script with a little more diligence.

Persistence

I only hope that some illiterate Moroccans feel the same frustration, but I can see how many have simply adapted to a certain lifestyle.  Last month, I was visiting with a cooperative president, Amina Yabis, who was urging some of her members to take advantage of the Arabic literacy classes offered at the high schools. Sadly, I saw in some of the members' faces the same fear, low self-esteem, and a bit of apathy that I saw in some of the recently migrated students when I was working for the ESL department at my old high school. Even some of the responses were the same: that's not for me; I don't think I can; I'm too old; I'm doing just fine without it; or I don't have the time and so on. It's unfortunate that my Arabic was not at a point where I could have given them some sort of reality check or motivational speech like I often did with my former students. The good thing was that the cooperative president was persistent asking them several times and even visiting their homes occasionally to follow up on their progress. That persistence, I think, may just be the thing that will bring about change.

Literacy Agents

Getting back to the book review, Mr. Sen summarizes that an improvement in literacy is linked with a decrease in infant mortality, birthrate, an increase in life expectancy, economic activity, and will likely result in a more representative government. How come? Because people would be able to get the information they need to manage their lives better, the increased communication fuels trade, women who are literate may enter the workforce or put off childbearing until later, and more rural literate people would be able to have their voices heard.

While it would be ideal for a government to launch a campaign to eradicate illiteracy, NGOs and organizations like the Peace Corps can aid in the process.  Sometimes a lot of volunteers feel as if some of their work produces little result because perhaps there are may be no tangible results like a new building going up, a playground being laid out, or new equipment being delivered for income-generating activities.  While I think that these tangible results are noteworthy, I think the exchange of information may be just as critical.  Granted for the first year of service this can be extremely difficult when you're trying to speak a language so different from your own.  However, once you have a reasonable level down and have some feel for the culture, the exchange can be invaluable.  Being shown some best practices in reducing infant mortality, safeguarding the environment, or managing one's business can be just the thing that may help an individual or community grow and live more comfortably and preserve or enhance their surroundings.

At the end of the day, the work most of us do has to do with literacy in all sorts of different fronts. By no means do I or fellow volunteers assume to have all the answers.  Sometimes some of our ideas are completely inapplicable in the current setting and the locals may have a more practical way to go about doing things.  Information is exchanged nonetheless.

I don't necessarily think that providing information is imposing one's culture or values.  The exchange is what is important.  Some people may like an idea while others may consider it strange.  Prior to that idea being exchanged, perhaps there were very few ideas on the table or anything substantially different.  The information is presented, but ultimately it is up to individuals to apply the knowledge in their everyday lives.

Before I go off on another tangent speaking about the benefits of improving literacy, I think instead that I'll get back to ameliorating my own illiteracy.  Thanks for reading and I'll be sure keep you posted on my progress.