Projects

Our aim is to be as sustainable as possible and help, not dictate to local people. We are too small to be a registered charity but we do a lot of project work in the villages of Tighza. We work alongside the Tighza Village Association, Baraka Community Partnerships (a registered charity) and Exodus (through the Friends of Conservation charity). The villages contribute labour and food for the workers, while funding comes from local tourism.
In addition money earned by the Homestays helps the families to pay for finishing their houses, making alterations or repairs, medical expenses as well as every day living costs.   At Riad Kasbah Oliver it is also possible to support women and children through buying local craft items made by villagers including earrings, bracelets, Berber rugs and necklaces.

Recycling

Disposal of plastic, batteries, metal, broken glass and crockery is a big problem in Morocco as there are few recycling facilities for these types of waste. The Homestay houses, including those outside of Tighza are encouraged to dispose of their waste safely and appropriately and not to have litter within the vicinity of their homes.

We are gradually educating the villagers about responsible disposal of waste and discouraging littering.

Recycling projects are in their infancy here but 2 local shops are now collecting metal including tins, plastic shoes and plastic and glass bottles, the children gain money for every kilo they collect. In 2011 a regular collection by a travelling van has started,  the driver uses a loud speaker and calls for metal and plastics.

By coming on a Homestay or Riad Kasbah Oliver holiday you can aid the local community to support themselves.

• We shop locally and use local village produce when available
• Generate income locally for villagers
• Use local services i.e. mules, village minibus and taxis
• We filter water. If we buy water we get 5 litre bottles which are reused to collect drinking water. This reduces plastic waste
• Vegetable waste is fed to the livestock
• Waste material from the animals is taken out onto the small fields and used as fertiliser
• Meat waste is given to cats and dogs in the village
• Bread is left to harden and distributed to local shepherds to feed their dogs

For clients who want to actively participate or get more involved:
We always need more cash to pay for operations and medical expenses for poor people. We make their first appointment and actively support them through the whole process.

• Plant a tree and improve the local environment
• Donate a food parcel of basic supplies to a poor family
• Bring out and distribute clothes and shoes to local poor families
• Sponsor a family for a year. Funding provides school materials, clothes and medication for the children. We provide you with photos and yearly updates on their progress
• Drink tea or eat a meal at a local home and the money goes direct to them
• Don your decorating clothes and help a local family who lack the resources or skills to repair or decorate a room in their home (roofs often need repair following heavy rain) (contributions are requested from volunteers to pay for materials)
• Help out repairing irrigation ditches which are usually damaged following heavy rain or flooding
• Muck in on a community project like building a water tower or hamam
• Contribute to dental or medical expenses (we come across people regularly who have not sought help as they cannot afford it).  We keep a small pot of money to assist them.  (Few Berbers have enough money to pay for treatment even in the Ministry of health hospitals and even fewer have health insurance.)
• Washable nappies and nappy wraps or covering pants are in demand and we have no supply (please check the back of airing cupboards or ask friends if they have any to donate)

Through Exodus the London based Trekking and Walking tour operator Mohamed is one of the chiefs of the village association and has been running the Tighza Project since March 2007. This was initially set up to provide piped drinking water for the villages of Tighza and to build a toilet block for the school which was previously without toilets. Since then the village has built a wall around the school and in partnership with Exodus now has school gates and a computer. Exodus has run 5 successful volunteer trips to Tighza to revamp the schools in Tighza and Taffarout; providing new doors and windows, repairing and painting walls, repairing and recycling re-useable windows, providing a better learning environment for the children. Volunteers have also repaired and painted homes of elderly villagers and very poor families.

Operations since 2007

With donations from guests and the charities we work with many villagers have had operations they could otherwise not afford. We have worked with many villagers to have eye surgery, scans, children's operations, appendix operations, facial surgery, urgent dental work and many more. In 2008 Fatima age 32 a single mum (rare in these parts) had to have facial surgery in Rabat to remove a 2 kilo lump from her face caused by an out of control dental problem. She has a new lease of life and alot of new courage. Fatima now age 16 had catarcts removed from both eyes she had had from birth until age 12 (enabling her to attend school) and there are many similar stories. This important work could not be done without our volunteers and guests who love the villages and the people.

Project Updates

Hammam Update

Work started in May 2011 with Exodus volunteers and the villagers clearing the site for the hammam, vilagers then dug and built up the foundations. Construction started in August thanks to very generous donations from clients of Exodus and donations through Baraka Community Partnerships. The Exodus group who came in September assisted in a chain gang passing materials and assisting in construction. In December 2011 the hammam is now roofed, villagers and the builders are now working on the interior and the hammam will open in April 2011.

The villagers want to build an accompanying boulangerie (using the fires from the hammam to bake bread, thereby reducing the overall carbon emissions of the village by radically reducing the number of fires burning to produce bread). The Hammam and boulangerie will provide local employment and eventually become self funding. Visitors and villagers will be able to use the hammam. The aim in particular is to improve the health of the women and children.

Achievements 2011

Our second medical clinic held in September with Dr Dan saw 90 patients in just 1.5 days. We need 2 translators one to work with the waiting patients to get information before the visit and one with doctor on future health clinics.

2 boys were able to have testicle retrieval operations between May and September thanks to donations from the volunteers, Baraka Community partnership and Exodus donations. Another very young boy has just been brought to us for the same operation. There is a disproportionate number of these boys who need this operation which may be due to low birth weights.

Irrigation channels. The villages need to replace 2km of mud irrigation ditches with more permanent structures that won't be damaged by heavy rainfall. Groups who came in September and October were able to clear and help the villagers replace 200 metres of irrigation channel, but there are many more to go.

Plans for 2012

One boy has water on the knee and heamatomas on his leg, without an operation he will not be able to walk for much longer unaided or play his beloved football. Funding is needed for these more complex procedures as they involve travel long distances and longer hospital stays which villagers simply cannot afford.

We always need funding to be able to buy medication for people who do not have money for medication which could improve their health situation dramatically.

Official opening of the hammam, building a second story to house carpet weaving looms and be used as a multifunctional village space including for English lessons which children have requested during the summer break from school. (Mountain children do not get to learn English at school).

We are hoping to carry on with irrigation channel replacement. Resurface the dirt road in the most susceptible sections to rutting which are damaged every time there is heavy rain. Repairing and painting further homes of the very poor. The villagers are still very keen to have their own medical centre so women will be at less risk than they are currently by the majority giving birth at home.

 

To find out more about the Tighza Project visit the Exodus website or contact Andy Mckee at andymckee2007@yahoo.co.uk or visit the Baraka Community Partnerships website.