Blessed Are Those Who Mourn

Morocco is still reeling from the devastating 6.8 magnitude earthquake that struck the western side of the country this past September. Not only were 2,900 people killed and another 5,500 injured, but many remote villages in the Atlas Mountains as well as historic parts of the city of Marrakech were completely obliterated. After conducting an assessment on the ground, GAiN concluded that the need for shelter and blankets was of utmost importance and has since delivered aid to many people affected by the disaster.

Our teams have travelled and distributed aid in various parts of western Morocco and continue to encounter all sorts of people who are eager to share their stories. In one village south of Marrakesh, team members gave a relief package to a 12-year-old boy named Idir, whose life was turned upside down by the violent upheaval of the earthquake. He told the team about how he lost everything he owned and everyone he loved, including both of his parents and his brothers. Today, he lives in a tent with four women who each lost their husbands.

“I continue to speak with my father even though he is no longer around because I miss him so much,” Idir shared.

Despite the crushing loss of his family and home, Idir continues to have hope for the future. He dreams of studying and participating in sports and hopes that one day, he will be a worldwide journalist so that everybody will know what he and his country have lived through.

Idir is one of many people in Morocco who have received some form of aid from GAiN. According to recent stats and in collaboration with our partner on the ground, we have provided 400 packages of essential items such as food and clothing, 20 large tents, 65 emergency tarps and 20 latrines to survivors of the earthquake. 

Although our efforts feel small in the wake of such overwhelming loss and hardship, we pray that by meeting some of the immediate needs of the people of Morocco, they will gain a measure of hope and strength for the days to come. Our desire is to one day look back and see Morocco as a country that overcame the darkest of days and is now marked by peace, stability and restoration.