Virtual Magazine of Morocco on the Web
Morocco Week in Review 
August 14, 2010

European Commission approves €135 million in grants to Morocco for 2010

The European Commission today approved a new financial support package of €135 million for Morocco. The package, in the form of grants, will support reform by the Moroccan Government in three areas: agricultural policy with the 'Plan Maroc Vert', the strategy for integrating populations living in remote areas and the literacy strategy.

The grants amounting to €135 million (i.e. around 1375 million Moroccan dirham) are aimed at directly improving the lives of the Moroccan population. “Our aid programme reflects the special nature of the partnership between the European Union and Morocco in the context of Advanced Status relations. It also attests to the very great importance that we attribute to the reforms implemented by the Kingdom of Morocco to strengthen social cohesion and combat poverty”, said Štefan Füle, the Commissioner in charge of Enlargement and the European Neighbourhood Policy.

Sectoral support programme for agricultural policy (€70 million)
The priority for this programme is to provide support for the second pillar of the Plan Maroc Vert (the PMV) targeting small-scale or 'inclusive' farming. It will contribute towards strengthening the livestock and crop‑growing sectors (mainly the production of olive oil, dates, red meat and local specialities), with the emphasis on marketing and production quality and on increasing producer revenue and creating jobs. In view of the importance of supporting a rapid rollout of the PMV, the financial allocation initially set aside by the European Commission has been increased by an additional €10 million.

Sectoral support programme for the strategy for integrating populations living in remote areas (€55 million)
This programme will provide support to the National Rural Roads Programme (PNRR II) designed to improve the access of isolated communities to the road network via all‑weather roads. It will focus in particular on the implementation of road network maintenance plans and developing the capacity of these communities to manage the road networks.

Support programme for the implementation of the literacy strategy (€10 million)
Following on from the ongoing European Commission programme, this additional support is aimed at raising literacy rates, bolstering the intervention capacity of the institutions and NGOs involved in implementing the strategy, improving the quality of training, introducing schemes for certifying the skills acquired through training courses and organising opportunities for social and socio-professional integration. http://news.penki.lt/news.aspx?Element=News&TopicID=123&ArticleID239863&IMAction=ViewArticle&Lang=EN
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Young girls as domestic slaves
09/08/2010

In Morocco, although it's technically illegal for children to work, many families take on so-called little maids to help out in the home. Some sixty thousand of them are thought to live like this, often suffering from maltreatment and without legal rights.
Any money earned usually goes to the girls' fathers, and cases of torture have been reported, with the employers getting away scott free. The authorities have decided to act with a plan to give the little maids proper rights. Video on the link here: http://www.france24.com/en/20100807-morocco-little-maids-domestic-slaves-tuareg-festival
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New Social Approach - Morocco Fights Poverty Through Human Development
Reda Darwish    Tuesday, 10 August 2010

Hajar Biyad, 15, works out on gymnastics equipment in the courtyard of her school in Sale, Morocco. Suspended on ropes high above the ground, she is a picture of grace and strength. Four years ago, Biyad was an 11-year-old runaway on the streets of Rabat and Sale. Today, she is a student at an alternative school, l’Ecole du Cirque, that teaches acrobatics along with reading and math. “God willing, I will be an artist and work in a circus,” she says. Biyad was once one of the 50,000 people living in extreme poverty that Morocco’s 5-year-old National Initiative for Human Development (INDH) seeks to help.

The $1.1 billion initiative, with $100 million in financing from the World Bank, provides funding to l’Ecole du Cirque and other programs that shelter orphans, street kids, and other poor people. The goal is to offer health care, moral support, education and job-training, and to reunite families and reintegrate individuals into society.

And across the country, the broad-based initiative is also giving poor people of all ages access to potable water, electricity, sanitation, health services, and financing for small businesses and projects.

Since 2005, INDH has financed more than 20,000 sub-projects, targeting more than 4.6 million people, in 264 urban neighborhoods and 403 rural communities. “We have already seen some significant results from the field,” says Mohamed Medouar, the lead on the World Bank’s National Initiative for Human Development support project.

Rural poverty has decreased from 36% in 2001 to 14% in 2007. Some 46% of households report their livelihoods have improved, 62% of households (60% of women and youth) say they have greater access to infrastructure, while 58% of households (51% of women and 54% of youth) report increased access to socioeconomic services, according to a 2009 study

The results include increased participation from the public, and from local and provincial governments and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and the development of greater human development expertise, Medouar adds.

In addition, communities and individuals have acquired new “value and dignity” and adopted a “better look on the future,” says INDH National Coordinator Nadira El Guermai. “They only needed someone to help them realize it – and this is an important part of INDH. This allows the person to say, I am someone, and able.”

New Approach to Social Programs

Prior to 2005, Morocco spent 55% of its budget on social programs yet ranked 124th out of 177 countries on the United Nations Development Program’s Human Development Index. Some 40% of Morocco’s population was considered economically vulnerable, 72.2% of rural women could not read, versus 52.7% at the national level, and maternal mortality was 45 times Europe’s average.

In May 2005, King Mohammed VI announced Morocco would seek to address socioeconomic conditions through a new, demand-driven, community-based approach to alleviating poverty and social exclusion in rural and urban communities. More than 700 regional, provincial and local human development committees, composed of equal shares of representatives from civil society, local government and government ministries, were set up under the initiative. The committees’ 11,000 members decide which projects respond best to the needs of the population, including the poorest and most vulnerable people. “There is really strong ownership and the mobilization of stakeholders at all levels. Decisions are now made in a more participatory way,” says Medouar.

On the advice of the World Bank, the initiative encourages financial contributions from NGOs. These contributions now amount to 10% of the funding for programs targeted to rural and urban areas, and 30% of the funding for a countrywide program. “That really helps with ownership and the success of the project,” says Medouar.

All projects are audited, and results are published on the initiative’s website, says El Guermai. “This is the first time that projects are audited, and that the information is published,” she says. “It is a new kind of management, meaning we are completely transparent, and coherent.”

Second Phase Planned

While still relatively young, the new, more participatory approach has mostly lived up to expectations, but the committees need more participation from women and young people, says Medouar. Women currently make up 16% of members, and youth only about 3%.

Medouar says it could take a decade or more to achieve full participation and expects those numbers would improve in an expected second phase of the project from 2011 to 2015. Morocco has already requested the Bank’s support for Phase II. “There has been good progress, and this initiative has a really strong political push from the king himself – almost every week he’s visiting projects and asking for results,” says Medouar.
“We believe it’s important to continue to support the initiative to consolidate the participatory approach in order to respond to the needs of poor and vulnerable groups.”

Adds El Guermai, “INDH addresses those in difficulty and with special needs – we attack those areas of poverty and precariousness.” “Our youth are tomorrow’s adults.  All have the right to be well and have a job … and if we can help the difficult situations, we have won.”(Worldbank) http://www.english.globalarabnetwork.com/201008096856/Culture/new-social-approach-morocco-fights-poverty-through-human-development.html
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American Student Finds Family in Morocco on YES Abroad Program
Rozina Kidari is 19-year- old and studying creative writing at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois.

Ever since I was 12 years old, I've had this dream about discovering my ethnic heritage. Growing up with my single American mother in Arizona, I always felt this gap inside of me. It wasn't that I ever lacked love, stability or understanding. It was just that, as I got older, I wanted to understand where I came from.

My mom always taught me to see the beauty and importance in all forms of ethnic diversity, so, by the time I became a teenager, I was dying to know more about my own heritage. Rozina, you're half-Moroccan, I'd tell myself. Your dad was born and raised in a city called Kenitra. You have a grandmother who still lives in the same city.

What do you know about Morocco, I asked myself? It's in Northern Africa-- so it's probably hot there. There is a King -- Mohamed the 5th...or 6th? Moroccans eat couscous. Rabat is the capital. There is something called the Kasbah, right? It is a country governed by Islam -- so do most people completely cover up? I felt like a hypocrite when I would tell people I was Moroccan because I couldn't really explain what that meant or represented for myself.

One day, my mom forwarded me an email about the YES Abroad program, sponsored by the US Department of State. Morocco was one of the three host countries listed. She encouraged me to investigate because of my dreams of travel and my interest in foreign exchange -- our family had hosted many exchange students in the past.

With college just around the corner, I didn't take it too seriously, but I did apply. When I received notification that I was selected as a finalist to study in Rabat, Morocco, I couldn't believe my eyes. Before I could blink, it was September 2, 2009 and I was saying a four-and-a-half-month-long goodbye to my family in the U.S.

The first thing I learned after arriving in Rabat was "cooli!" "Cooli" is the Moroccan word for "eat." At the beginning of my stay, I would sit down to dinner with my host family and my host mom would immediately say, "Prends! Manges! Cooli!" or "Take! Eat! Eat!" First, I tried eating as fast as I could -- but that made my plate endless because each time I would finish something, my host mom would be right there with another dish! I tried eating and chewing slowly. But then my host mom would ask me, "What are you doing? What's wrong?" and throw in "Cooli! Cooli!" a couple more times. It took a long time to find a happy medium.

Another thing I learned was "faire la bise" -- the traditional Moroccan greeting. Instead of shaking hands, Moroccans do a cheek-to-cheek kiss. The standard is one kiss on each side, always starting with right cheek to right cheek and ending with left to left. However, there are variations depending upon how well you know or how close you are with the person. I often found myself ending the faire la bise before the other person was ready or, worse, I would go in for more as they tried (politely) to back away.

Moroccan hospitality is an art that has been practiced and universally recognized for hundreds of years. Never will you feel more welcome than when entering a Moroccan's house, as they spoil you with glass upon glass of hot, delicious tea, dozens of different cookies, and the best of what their home has to offer. And how can I forget the sincere and detailed inquiries about my health and my family? When a Moroccan asks about your family, he doesn't just ask about your Mom and Dad -- he asks about EVERY single person in your family. Yes, even your uncle's cousin's sister's husband. Even him!

I learned a lot about the Moroccan culture and myself as well. After about a month of living in Rabat, my host family helped me to get in contact with my grandmother in Kenitra. Words can't even begin to describe the emotions I was feeling when I opened the door and my grandmother or "muilella" pulled me into her arms and told me that I was a "diamante" or diamond. During my winter break, I got to spend an entire week and half at my grandmother's house where I met aunts, cousins, uncles and everything in between. My sister, Aziza, got the chance to fly out to Morocco during that time as well! We had the chance to connect with our family together, while also discussing our feelings and experiences around it, and that's something I will treasure forever.

My experience in Morocco is a painting that I've permanently etched onto the canvas of my mind. I know that I have experienced something much richer than most people my age could understand. That empty gap in my life is now filled with love, friendships, memories, and a newfound understanding. Morocco truly is my second home. As they say in Morocco, "Barak Allah Fik u Shukran Bezaff!" which means, "It is a blessing from God, and thank you very much!"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/yes/american-student-finds-fa_b_675653.html
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Argan Oil: From Morocco to Israel
by Jacob Levenfeld · August 10th, 2010
Jacob Levenfeld, who has spent extensive time in the Negev, writes about Orly Sharir’s project to grow argan oil in Israel’s desert. Orly, a supplier of herbs and spices for Negev Nectars in the United States, writes more on the subject on the Negev Nectars blog.

Isn’t it frustrating when you eat something delicious but you can’t quite put your finger on that little ingredient that pulls everything together? In Moroccan cuisine, that extra spice could just be a little-known delicacy known as argan oil. Used in all sorts of food recipes, lotions, and creams, this reddish oil is derived from argan tree nuts native to Morocco. Lately, though, a small number of farms in Israel’s Negev desert have also forayed into argan production.

Previously, argan orchards were confined to a small corner of northwest Africa. Few oils are rarer or harder to obtain than argan since its production is so limited and it is relatively expensive. But argan groves have been slowly expanding in Israel since the Negev is uniquely equipped to provide a comfortable habitat.

Orly Sharir, a Negev farmer who primarily grows herbs and spices, moved to her small farm with her husband Yoni several years ago intending to work the land on a small scale and raise camels on the side. Orly and Yoni heard about a professor researching argan growth at a nearby kibbutz and realized it was time to experiment.

“Growing camels couldn’t sustain us and we thought about expanding out product base,” Orly writes. “The professor talked about the qualities and virtues of the argan tree. Our interest was piqued when we read that the argan needs very little water to survive.”

Today, Orly and Yoni have 110 argan trees in their grove. The trees have adapted to the Negev surprisingly well–their deep roots in particular have helped protect against flash floods and soak up the meager rainfall. Once harvested, argan nuts are cracked and the seeds lightly roasted before the oil is extracted, lending the oil its reddish hue. The fine oil is packaged in small glasses and sold at high prices.

Demand has not been an issue, and the oil is slowly making its way across the Atlantic. Besides its medicinal qualities, argan oil, which is high in protein and essential unsaturated fatty acids, can be used as a key ingredient in couscous, salad dressings, tajines, and other related foods. A 2001 New York Times article describes the oil’s “vibrantly toasty, nutlike flavor with fruity overtones and a pleasing soupcon of bitterness. Its assertive flavor makes it a lovely finishing touch for cheeses, soupls, grain dishes and braised meats.”

Desert farmers are always seeking new products that can grow in the harsh climate, and argan’s appeal will only increase as it gains popularity. For now, though, just a few small-scale Negev farms are producing it.

“Here in the desert, we believe our surroundings dictate the pace of life and tell us what to grow,” Orly writes. “We start small, use plenty of trial and error, and if we see something works, we run with it.”
http://jcarrot.org/argan-oil-morocco-israel
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A new second language for Morocco?
Thursday, August 12 2010 Ibn Warraq

Saïd Bellari penned an essay which questioned the continued influence of the French language in Morocco. The essay is sure to raise the debate. The big question; will anyone take any notice.

Al-Humdullilah !   At last someone has come out and said what so many of us have been thinking for a very long time. Recently I was asked to give a talk to non-Moroccans about literacy in Morocco. One of the points I made was that with so many people growing up with one of the Amazigh languages at home, the move to Darija was an initial difficulty. Then there was the need for MSA (Modern Standard Arabic) and finally, the fact that French was also required. At the time I thought again "why do we still teach French".  Right at the beginning of the essay, Saïd Bellari draws attention, not to literacy, but to "disliteracy".

"While you will not be able to find this word in a regular English dictionary I think that it matters nonetheless. The more so because it is especially prevalent amongst the educated elite. It means that they are speaking the wrong language in Morocco amongst themselves and with the rest of the world. Because of that we fail to go with the global flow and we isolate ourselves more and more from the development growth of other areas abroad like the one in South East Asia."

So, what should we be speaking amongst ourselves and what language should we employ to address the world? Saïd Bellari makes it very clear: "I do not want to say that we should stop speaking Arabic in Morocco. Allah yastar! Not in the least, perhaps we should do that even more. With it I mean in fact that we should aim to fade out the French language as soon as possible. Simultaneously we should give the English language a fresh stimulus in all aspects of Moroccan society and let it take its place as a second language of Morocco. French should not even be 3rd or 4th language for that matter. This change from a francophone to an "Arab-Anglophone" country will introduce a second era of Istiqlal. It will unleash a sense of freedom of spirit in our Moroccan society that will erode historic brakes and obstacles settled in Moroccan collective mind."

This is stirring stuff! Not only is he suggesting ditching the language of the colonisers, but very sensibly promoting the idea of wider use of English. Dropping French more than 55 years after independence is taking things a bit too slowly. There are compelling reasons for taking up English. Yes, all of the international ones abut also the local ones, such as tourism. It is noticeable in Fez, year after year, that there are constant complaints that Festivals employ French rather than English, and when they do condescend to publish a programme in English, the translation is from French and is usually laughable.

Saïd Bellari does not hold back from a little straight talking. 

"While we celebrate quite some decades of independence now year after year, one can truly ask himself whether that state of independence has truly soaked our whole Moroccan society? Or is it that in certain corners, some of them essential, the French occupier is virtually still subjugating our hearts and minds to the detriment of our future prospects? Well in the matter of language the question does not even beg for an answer: every Moroccan academician, scientist, entrepreneur, artist, writer, doctor, politician or whatever key societal character, will easily admit that French is still the Master of the Moroccan Universe. In more than 50 years France has still succeeded in keeping the illusion in Morocco alive and kicking that we need our historical and cultural ties with it. It is a communal trance-like state of mind that is inhibiting our progress. Even after all the abuse that colonialism brought with it. (Or perhaps even because of the abuse of our people during centuries by the Western occupiers that shared the inhumane idea behind colonialism.)This pathological trait of dependency is still hurting Moroccan society and it’s future enormously. While I am in the least propagating a severing of ties with France or its culture, it would be foolish indeed, I am merely asking Moroccans to count to 10, think again and again and ask themselves plainly why they would choose French as a second language in this 21st Century?"

France and its culture has become a niche society on Earth and following it as a Moroccan amounts to civilizational self-destruction. While it was understandably hard to make this massive cultural transition in the sixties or the seventies of the 20th Century, nothing ought to keep the Kingdom and its people from choosing their own future nowadays. And this counts especially for the second language that we are cultivating collectively in Morocco. So that is why I am proposing to kick out the French asap and welcome the English in our homes, of course secondly behind our treasured Arabic. There is also a powerful psychological reason behind this transition that will mean a world of difference on this grassroots level. 

France and French are part of our history. And that is exactly all it should be. A part in our history that we did not choose voluntarily. A part also that cost our society a lot to shed definitely, if not at least partially. For the remaining part, French as a Lingua Franca in Moroccan society, consciously, but even more unconsciously, still reminds us of being slaves, of being dependent, of being backward, of being unable and of being all the things that second rate people are, or better phrased: of being what racist people want you to think of yourselves, of being second rate: "I am less worthy, less able”. This mental complex deeply rooted in our collective mind would take generations to overcome otherwise. By audaciously and emphatically peeling French from our society, which was not of our own choosing, we heal ourselves collectively. And by replacing it of our own accord by English (as a logical alternative to better connect to world society and be better prepared for the future) we would heal ourselves even more! It would emanate a second grand wave of independence in Moroccan society. A true collective grass-roots wave that speaks of will-power, self-determination, self-expression and new trust, hope and optimism for the future. 

This is no small undertaking as Saïd Bellari admits - "A committee could investigate and report on how this transition is best done during one generation. Helpful would be ties with the Anglophone part of the world in general and Islamic countries in particular. As a live example of the last category, showing a marvelous development trajectory counts the experience of Malaysia: it is comparable to Morocco in population but instead had a very successful transition since independence from an agricultural economy to an industrial economy and now in the midst of growing into a services oriented economy delivering these also to developed countries. Not coincidentally Malaysia was managed for decades by a doctor who had an assertive and healing stance against their former colonial occupier: the legendary Dr. Mahathir. Morocco would do well to emulate his Wawasan 2020 vision and try to learn from his teachings on the issue of transforming society. But Morocco needs to disremember French and acquire English very soon: the 2nd language after Bahasa in Malaysia….il n'est jamais trop tard pour bien faire.

Will it ever happen?  Inshallah!   

http://www.moroccoboard.com/viewpoint/64-author/1139--a-new-second-language-for-morocco
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Moroccans work holidays to pay school costs.
By Siham Ali 2010-08-04

Students across the kingdom spend holidays working, to support their school costs or other expenses. Many Moroccan students and schoolchildren work over the summer to fund the next year's studies. Coming mostly from families with limited incomes, they have to give up their holidays to take on small seasonal jobs.

Some sell boxes of tissues in the main city streets, or sweets and ice creams to children on the beaches. Others try to get a job with a local greengrocer or in a restaurant where extra staff are needed to cope with the holiday rush. They work tirelessly to help their families and buy what they need for their studies.

There are students like 14-year-old Hamid, who attends a secondary school in El Jadida. For seven years now, he has had to be financially self-sufficient. He sells whatever he can carry on his back or in his arms: plastic bags, umbrellas, sweets, balloons and so on. His are the words of a much older person. He is already grown up and has an optimistic view of the future, even though he comes from a hard-pressed family.

"My Dad died when I was five," he said. "My mum had to work as a cleaner in various houses. She couldn't meet all the family's needs." "That's why I work over the summer; I don't want to give up on my studies. They'll help me to avoid being poor when I'm older," he said with a broad smile.

His mother gives him 200 dirhams at the start of the holidays to buy his "goods". After two months' work he has managed to earn an average of 3,000 dirhams. With this money he can buy books and some clothes for himself and his little brother Oussama.

Like Hamid, 16-year-old Hiba C. puts her Moroccan biscuit-making skills to good use during the summer. She has managed to build up a small customer base, who turn to her at weekends and particularly during school holidays. She works at home, to order. "My dad's a seasonal worker and mum's a housewife," she said. "Our finances are very limited. So I decided to take my future in my own hands, working during my free time. The holidays are a good time to make plenty of money. So my dad doesn't have to worry about the start of the new school year," she announced proudly.

Elsewhere, other young people whose families are better off financially also choose to do summer jobs. Their aim is often to enrich their personal experience and to prepare for future employment. This is the story for Hamdane Bouchouika, 18. For two years, he has worked the month of July as a cashier in a restaurant in Agadir. At first, his parents were astonished at his decision.

But they were keen to encourage him. "My work has really built up my confidence over time. Plus, the money I get over this month means I can treat myself to a little time away in August," he said.

Some young high school and college students work as secretaries for doctors or lawyers, replacing employees who are away on holiday. Some get involved in other activities, particularly baby-sitting or helping to run the activities at youth camps.

Sociologist Samira Kassimi says that Moroccan society is changing now that everyone – particularly in urban areas – has grasped the importance of education. As such, even poor families are trying to keep their children in school, even though these children have to work during their school holidays.

At the same time, young Moroccans are open to more influences from the west, where students are encouraged to work over the summer, she said.

However, some well-off parents are less comfortable with the idea. Nevertheless, they often end up being convinced of the value of this activity, which enables their children to learn how to become more responsible. http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2010/08/04/feature-02
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Moroccan bachelors seek wives who work.
By Siham Ali 2010-08-09

The process of courtship and marriage is changing for many Moroccans, with financial questions looming larger than ever. The classic Moroccan ideal of marriage is giving way to modern necessities. Men's pursuit of a soul mate is changing, as are the days of parents choosing the right bride for their sons.

These days, many men begin by looking at the financial situation of their future spouse. Although not long ago men used to seek women who had no job aspirations, so they would be free to take care of the housework, things are different now. The high cost of living is spurring them to seek brides who are working and can help them make ends meet.

"Young men are not greedy, but they are trying to adapt to the times," said sociologist Hamid Soundoussi.

Marriage represents one more institution undergoing change in Morocco due to eroding purchasing power, he continued. "Once upon a time, a primary school teacher could easily support his family single-handedly, but that has become very difficult now. The marriage age has risen in Morocco due to the increase in the cost of living. The concept of mutual financial help between spouses is a fairly recent one, especially in urban areas."

For 33-year-old Farid Laafraoui, the search for a wife has lasted three years. He set a number of criteria that his future spouse must meet, including the need for her to have a job. He told Magharebia that the time when love came before marriage has passed. "Love is essential, but it is built following marriage on the basis of mutual respect," he said. "If a couple's financial situation is stable, they will have fewer problems. My monthly wage is just 5,000 dirhams. A second income will be necessary to run the household and pay for the children to go to school."

Farid is one of many people who are attributing their focus on women's financial circumstances to the new demands of daily life. Women are also aware of the change and are placing higher demands on men in return.

Narjiss Bahaoui, a 28-year-old bank clerk, said that several men close to her family and at her workplace had made overtures towards her, but that she preferred someone "ready" to tie the knot. "Since feelings are not a major criterion for marriage, I have the right to marry a husband who already has a flat and a nice car," she said. "But despite everything, I'm willing to abandon these preconditions for someone who would love me for myself and not my monthly income. I'm both romantic and realistic at the same time."

Some women are now so sceptical of the greed of suitors that they become hardened singletons and end up regretting it. One such woman, 44-year-old Houda T., is a manager with a large company in Casablanca. She turned down several offers of marriage over the years because she always had doubts about the men's real intentions. "I learned rather late that I shouldn't be so mistrustful," she said. "I should have gone for it with one of them and settled down. My success in my career has not lessened my desire to have a home and children, like my sisters and friends, especially since society takes a dim view of unmarried women, and this causes me a lot of stress."

Some young women say one should be realistic and objective, and not take a prejudiced view of men. The sexual equality they strive for presupposes the same rights and responsibilities for both parties in a marriage. "Since women have always demanded a husband who has a job, men also have the right to marry a woman who is working in this society of ours, which is becoming more modern," said 22-year-old law student Souad Chatibi. "This doesn't mean that a home can't be built on the foundations of love and respect." http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2010/08/09/feature-01
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