Life for Relief and Development USA (LIFE) Distributes Food Baskets and Shelter Kits, Warming the Hearts and Homes Of 1000 People in Al-Haouz, Morocco
- ajoyce140
- 6 hours ago
- 3 min read
Home - the place where you feel most comfortable; all your belongings are stored exactly where you like to keep them, you step out of the sanctuary of your room and find the warmth of your family in your cozy living room.
Suddenly, the earth shakes beneath your feet, and the walls that once hugged you and protected you from the elements crumble before your very eyes, trapping and burying helpless loved ones beneath their weight.
Life has irrevocably changed – nothing will ever be the same again.
This was the reality for thousands in the region of Al-Haouz, Morocco, when an earthquake with a magnitude of 7 on the Richter scale struck the High Atlas Mountains of Western Morocco on 8th September 2023. This tragedy claimed the lives of at least 2,960 people, injuring 5,674 and damaging or destroying over 40,000 houses.
Al-Haouz is a remote and rural province, situated at an elevation of 1233 meters above sea level, that historically has depended on its agricultural productivity to sustain a livelihood for its residents. Sadly, having faced the destructive nature of the earthquake, the community has been shattered, as thousands of families are left homeless with no means of providing a living for themselves.
Over a year later, the province of Al-Haouz is still recovering from the fractures endured by its community. Thousands are still living in makeshift shelters made from plastic tarps and salvaged materials, unable to even access governmental assistance. Suffering in such dire situations, these families brace themselves as they prepare for another harsh, freezing winter with no provisions or home to protect them.
To support these vulnerable individuals and their communities, on December 22nd, 2024, Life for Relief and Development USA (LIFE) orchestrated a Winter Relief Project which offered direct relief through distributing food baskets to 200 families, and 50 shelter kits to 27 families, reaching 1000 individuals in total.
Left with no means of sustenance, livelihood, or a house of their own, LIFE and its donors supported those in need as they faced the harshness of winter. The distributed food baskets included staples such as flour, oil, couscous, lentils, beans, vermicelli, sugar, pasta, salt, tomato paste and tea. Furthermore, to protect these individuals from the cold, the shelter kits included two blankets and two mattresses per family, offering an extra layer of warmth and protection to recipients.
The distribution of these essential items targeted the neediest families, focusing on those who were widowed or widowers; female-headed households; households with pregnant women or infants; people living with disabilities; and the elderly, with the intention of improving the living conditions and food security of the most vulnerable members of society.
The impact that the donations have on these individuals is profound. Facing the struggle of rebuilding their lives, along with their homes, Al Haouz’s community has endured over a year of instability, having had everything they ever knew pulled from beneath them. The gratitude felt by all is captured in the case of a local elderly couple, as they beam at the workers who deliver the shelter kit and food basket to the makeshift structure, which they now reside in. The wife shares: “It is extremely, extremely cold; our lives are very difficult right now. But thanks to you all, now this place feels like a home”.
In shelters constructed with flimsy materials, it is the warmth brought about by your donations and the efforts of the team at LIFE’s Winter Relief Project that has helped hundreds of families in the Al Haouz province this winter make their shelters a home.
