Solidarity with Morocco: 2 years of action

17 september 2025

On 8 September 2023, an earthquake of an unprecedented scale struck Morocco, killing more than 3,000 people and leaving tens of thousands homeless. Two years later, the Fondation de France remains committed to helping the disaster victims, particularly the most vulnerable. The donation appeal helped raise €11.4 million. The Fondation de France has already allocated more than €5.9 million to 66 initiatives throughout the disaster-stricken region of Morocco.

In the first few months after the earthquake, the Fondation de France's priority was to ensure access to basic needs: shelters for the population, equipment to face the cold, distribution of food and hygiene products, etc. Two years later, it is concentrating its support on four priorities: supporting reconstruction, relaunching economic activity, maintaining access to education, and providing psychological support.

Supporting reconstruction

The earthquake destroyed approximately 60,000 homes, particularly in the provinces of Al Haouz and Taroudant. The Fondation de France supports initiatives that focus on strengthening the local skills of craftsmen and promoting good practice in earthquake-resistant construction. The priority is to renovate community buildings (schools, business centres, community gathering places, etc.).

Here are a few examples of current initiatives:

In the Taroudant region in the South-West of Morocco, in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, the NGO Migrations & Développement is involved in repairing or building the infrastructure needed for irrigation and water supply, which are essential to daily life and the local economy. It simultaneously helps residents to develop their skills, particularly in administrative and financial management. Finally, it also offers training in the Amazigh language, spoken by a large section of the population, which plays a central role in maintaining social links and cultural identity.

In the Amizmiz region, south of Marrakech in the Moroccan High Atlas, the Amal Biladi association is building around twenty noualas, small mud houses measuring 18 m², designed using earthquake-resistant techniques to better withstand earthquakes. It is also building a "House of Stars" in tribute to the children who died in the earthquake. In this space, designed as a collective repair area, artistic, cultural and linguistic workshops for children will be organised, as well as meetings, training courses, and conferences for local residents in the fields of eco-construction, agro-ecology, and ecotourism.

Reconstruction of houses in the Amizmiz region performed by the Amal Biladi association.

Supporting economic recovery

In order to contribute to the lasting recovery of local economies, the Fondation de France supports initiatives that give young people greater access to employment, promote traditional skills, and encourage women's autonomy.

In Taliouine, in the province of Taroudant, the Forum des initiatives des jeunes (Youth Initiatives Forum) association enables around twenty young people, more than half of whom are women, to take courses in digital and media skills (communication, digital marketing, audiovisual production, journalism, etc.). These courses enable them to acquire technical skills in growth sectors. At the same time, they take part in workshops dedicated to employment and entrepreneurship. The programme also includes personalised support, through individual follow-up and group sessions, to help each young person with their projects. Finally, meetings with professionals are organised to broaden their network and make their journey to employment easier.

In Taroudant, the Tiwizi association was set up by seven women's cooperatives from various villages; its purpose is to rebuild their main cooperative, which had been damaged in the earthquake. This site is used to process argan oil, an important traditional activity in the region. Thanks to the support of the Horizons Foundation, the Fondation de France and the Aroma-Zone company, the renovated cooperative has become both an economic centre and a place for sharing: cultural and mutual aid activities are organised there to strengthen the social ties between the women of the region.

In the province of Taroudant, the Migration & Développement association is deploying a caravan to provide psychological support for children.

ebarbier

TO READ
"Contribute to a respectful and sustainable reconstruction, anchored in the realities of the country" - Elisabeth Barbier, member of Fondation de France's Solidarity with Morocco Committee

Read the interview

Preserve access to education

The earthquake destroyed school infrastructure in rural and peri-urban areas of the High Atlas, exacerbating inequalities in access to education, particularly for girls and children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

In Asni, for example, in the mountainous region of the Moroccan High Atlas, the school hostels run by the Amis des Écoles association, where children from remote villages were accommodated, were completely destroyed. To replace them, two boarding schools are being built. They will accommodate up to 550 children and provide a catering service for almost 1,000 pupils. This infrastructure is essential in this landlocked area, where transport is very limited.

In the rural commune of Ijoukak, in the province of Al Haouz, the Marrakech Entr'aide association is rebuilding a school for a large number of children living in extremely precarious conditions. The association is also planning to purchase school furniture (desks, chairs, blackboards) so that pupils can study in dignified conditions and an environment conducive to learning.

Provide psychological support

In addition to material aid, psychological support is also essential, to mitigate the effects of the trauma. The Kane Ya Makane association, for example, supports 1,200 pupils aged 6 to 12 in five rural schools. It organises artistic workshops designed with the help of psychologists: drawing, theatre, body expression, etc. These activities help children express their emotions, regain a sense of security, and gradually rebuild their lives.

In Douar Shems'y, in the province of Al Haouz, the AMESIP association (Moroccan Association for Helping Children in Vulnerable Situations) is helping almost 150 children orphaned by the earthquake. It provides them with comprehensive care, supervised by activity leaders and mental health specialists, including tutoring, art workshops, sports activities (basketball, martial arts, athletics) and digital literacy courses. These activities recreate a safe, structured environment, while tackling mental health issues in a playful, collective way.

Support collective and participative initiatives

In the Al Haouz and Souss-Massa regions, the Fondation de France supports projects run by consortia of local players (NGOs, associations, local authorities, researchers, etc.). The aim is to work with local residents to develop practical solutions to everyday challenges, such as water, education, health, employment and reconstruction (through collective projects, choice of materials, etc.).

The Tadamon programme in the Souss-Massa region illustrates this approach. Coordinated by the Migrations & Développement association, it brings together five local organisations around shared priorities: access to water, agricultural revival, education and economic development. In Ifghrane, a solar pumping system has been installed to supply the village with drinking water. The programme also enabled private water sources to be rehabilitated, two boreholes to be drilled, and water wheels and irrigation canals to be restored.

In the Siroua massif, the Migration & Développement association set up water points for livestock.

In Al Haouz, the Care Maroc association and the IECD (European Institute for Cooperation and Development), with the support of the Agence française de développement (AFD) and the Fondation de France, are encouraging people to relaunch economic activity by providing entrepreneurial support to 660 people: mapping needs, training in business creation, technical and psychosocial support. To enable women with young children to get back to work, a pre-school education scheme is planned for 160 children, with the equipping of ten reception centres, the training of educators and the introduction of extra-curricular activities.

"Solidarity with Morocco" key figures: