This last week I had the opportunity to show some family members around Morocco! It was so interesting to observe them experience all the different foods, cultures, and customs that I had only a month and a half prior. Spending the first week in Marrakesh we explored one of the most decorated palaces, the Bahia. Getting to take in the extreme attention to detail in almost every area of the palace, you quickly realize why the monument has become so famous.
We then boarded a train for Rabat, the city I’ve been based in since September. Switching gears and taking a slightly less touristic avenue we explored some of the best restaurants I’ve been able to find while still squeezing in a couple historic monuments and walks around the city. Ending their stay with a quick 12-hour pal-around Casablanca however short, may have been the most worthwhile thing we did the entire trip. Although the city is much busier than Marrakesh or Rabat, being the top economic city in the country it seemed to add to the overall experience. What really stood out was the Hassan II, one of the only mosques in Africa and the only in Morocco that is open to be viewed by the public. Massive in size and reputation you could truly spend hours inside and out taking it all in. Built on a wall of the sea the entire architecture seems like something out of a dream.
This week started early Sunday morning as we departed on an excursion to Tangier. Located on the most northern coast of Morocco the city is encapsulated with a rich history of foreign invasion since 400 AD and later perseverance from the Moroccan population.
The city of Tangier has come a long way from this period, which once had the reputation of being a sketchy, undesirable place for locals and tourists alike. Racked with the chaos of drug dealings and unorganized crime. However, since Sultan Moulay Ismail came to power in the late 1600s, rooting his legacy in the revival of Tangier a metamorphose has taken place. His break-off from British territory as the city has been transformed and the hard choices taken to get there cannot be understated. These acts of diplomacy on Ismail’s part were not only ahead of their time but so strategic they avoided the need for military or violent action all together.
This history is prominent throughout the city, conveyed throughout architecture that stands from hundreds of years ago, to an economy that relies on tourism – which was not always the case due to its older reputation.
While my program was there we spent most of our time visiting NGOs and getting a fuller idea of their missions within the city. To see the work that was being done by these organizations was truly inspiring, and one particularity stood out to me.
NGO, 100% Maman, is based in Tangier and has had a massive impact on the community there. Fighting for the rights of single mothers, Maman’s goal is to reach a wide audience and develop the expertise to have single mothers seen positively in a post-modern, Middle Eastern society. Their technological range developed from multiple social media accounts to a podcast that can be streamed on most platforms where women can talk about their experiences with the law, their pregnancies, and how they found the organization.
The creation of Maman however is not quite as uplifting yet inspiring all the same. Founded in 2006, there was a great need to advocate for women who were having children out of wedlock, instances of rape or incest. The law at that time stated that perpetrators could marry their victims (even against the victims’ wishes) and as a result be excluded from criminal punishment. A need for advocacy was strong as 100% Maman rose to the occasion. Through this organization and others like it advocating for more freedom from these laws progress has been made, but there is still much work to be done.
Working primarily with single mothers and their children, 100% Maman provides housing for mothers, daycare, and education for children, and skills classes for mothers, and runs a full-scale catering company where many of the mothers that they work with are employed. Needless to say, this organization has created a flourishing micro-economy within the larger city.
As we sat and talked with the administration of this non-profit many of us were moved to tears, the emotion that these women felt for their organization was at the forefront of every answered question and explanation.
I spent the rest of the day reflecting on the place of privilege I was coming from and contrasting these oppressive laws to the pro-life/pro-choice dilemma currently underway in the States. There is so much freedom given to those in America that other systems of governing are often forgotten – this was a sharp reminder of how the rest of the world may be functioning. I hope to return to Tangier in November and learn more about 100% Maman, how we as students can aid the organization, and what other work must be done to gain these women the freedom they deserve.
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