Inauguration of Dar Si Hmad's Fog Harvesting Project

Dear readers and friends,

Sorry for the long radio silence! We have been busy preparing for the inauguration of our fog-water harvesting project in Ait Baamrane, a region of villages in rural southwestern Morocco. In the culmination of nearly ten years of research and development, Saturday, March 21^st, saw 300 villagers, international researchers, supporters and national and US embassy representatives join us in celebrating the opening of a pipeline bringing fresh running water to the homes of Tnin Amellou for the first time in history.

Prior to the event, Dar Si Hmad hosted a press conference to inform local and international media about this innovative project, and we have since received considerable press coverage – check us out on L’Economiste (http://www.leconomiste.com/article/968558-experience-inedite-sidi-ifnide-leau-potable-extraite-du-brouillard), Les Éco (http://www.leseco.ma/economie/26537-sidi-ifni-recolte-l-eau-de-brouillard.html), and SciDev (http://www.scidev.net/mena/ water/news/Fog-harvest-quench-Moroccan-village-thirst.html). Project partner USAID hailed the project “a great example of local stakeholders coming together to meet water needs through an ingenious alternative solution supported by the American People.”

The inauguration kicked off with a ceremonial opening of the tap at Dar Si Hmad staffer Hussein’s house. (Pictured above is US Embassy representative filling a glass of fog water.) This was followed by multilingual speeches from Dar Si Hmad president Aissa Derhem, director Jamila Bargach, researcher Vicky Marzol, village representative Belkacem IdAachour, and US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Matt Lussenhop. The event concluded with a four-course meal, showcasing the specialties of the region.

In order to prepare the people of Ait Baamrane for the inauguration, Dar Si Hmad conducted various training sessions aiming to teach women in the villages to communicate and solve water related-issues using Information and Communication Technology (ICT). In particular, Dar Si Hmad staff taught women plumbing skills and how to use mobile messaging technology as a tool to communicate problems that may arise with the fog-water system, ensuring the women’s roles as the traditional guardians of water would not be undermined by this new technology. Women and girls, who were previously responsible for retrieving water from distant wells, will now have an additional three hours every day to invest in education and income-generating projects.

Stay tuned for updates on our research as this beautiful project continues to grow (with your contributions!) and visit our Global Giving page to support our efforts to expand and improve education in this underserved region: http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/summer-water-school-for-rural-children-in-morocco/.

Also look out for our upcoming summer programs with University of Colorado in Boulder, Worchester Polytechnic Institute, University of Tampa, Seattle University, and Georgetown University!

As always, we are humbled by your unwavering support.

Jade Lansing

Ethnographic School Liaison and Manager

Cultural Training in Germany

Reflections on my experience in Germany!

The Beginning:

It all started when I received the application for the Goethe Institute’s six-week Cultural Management Training program. As I glanced over the application, I visualized myself partaking in the program. It was a stressful day, I had to deliver a presentation, prepare for an important visit and then apply for this training. Had hesitated one moment on completing the application, I would have missed out on the opportunity to participate in a vital training in cultural management in Germany.

Fatima Goes to Berlin:

It was a Sunday morning and I woke up excited to start the adventure. I arrived in Berlin and was lucky to witness a beautiful sunset partially covered with clouds. “It is Summer in Agadir and it is Autumn in Berlin,” I told my host when I met her for the first time. The next day I woke up at 6:30 a.m. to get ready for the first day of the training. We rushed through breakfast, I learned that I had a commute of almost 45 minutes to get to the Goethe Institute. I had to take three different trains and though it was stressful, I felt exhilarated to be lost in the large, maze-like subway system of Berlin. I was fascinated by the city’s design and cultural life. I didn’t mind the long commute.

Homestay:

In Berlin I stayed with a family: two women, a filmmaker and a painter. As I was busy with the program I did not have much time to socialize. We interacted  each morning over a cup of coffee and the delicious German bread. The encounter enriched my perspectives of German life. After Berlin, I moved to Munich to continue my training and live with a new host family in a new city. In Munich, my host was extremely welcoming. Our conversations consisted of discussions of articles we read, exchanges of intimate stories and long walks on Sundays. I saw the city of Munich through her eyes. I learned much from her and we continue enriching our friendship beyond this German experience.

Oktoberfest in Munich:

After finishing four intensive weeks of training in Berlin and getting used to the daily lifestyle with all the participants, we had to say goodbye to each other and continue our internship in the different cities of Germany. My transition to life in Munich was had its challenges but I was excited to discover a new part of the country. In Munich I worked with the Digital Analog film festival learning all about cultural projects within the city.

Soon after I settled into Munich, Oktoberfest began, the world’s largest annual fair and the city’s most well-known social and cultural event. Upon my arrival, the station was so crowded and incredibly colorful. Men and women were celebrating Oktoberfest with traditional clothing, dancing and drinking locally brewed beverages, such as Germany’s renowned beer variety. It was the first time I witnessed such a huge celebration with thousands of people. It Ambulances everywhere and police helping people who were experiencing some physical discomforts. My host told me that some local residents in Munich leave the city during Oktoberfest because it’s too loud; perhaps they’ve experienced too many Oktoberfests to enjoy this time of year. During Oktoberfest, Munich becomes a destination for all the neighboring countries and even those across the oceans.

Frankfurt, the Book Fair and Arabness:

After Munich, the participants, who came from different parts of Germany, reunited for a day. We laughed together and shared delicious Indian food. We attended the international book fair in Frankfurt, where the whole world seemed to be present, everyone sharing their literary works and networking with one another. This fair is one of those rare spaces where you get to walk for half an hour and pass by several continents and hundreds of countries. I wished I could have walked slowly and spent time with each country, but we had to get through the fair quickly in order to attend a panel entitled “How do Arab Artists Shape their Cities?” The panelists were three young activists and artists representing Libya, Egypt, and Iraq.  The debate was very intense and fruitful.

Cultural Management:

The participants were from all over the MENA region, representing the institutions they are working with. Hearing everyone speaking about their cultural projects, film festivals, cinemas, and theater productions enriched my dreams and boosted my motivation to create an art project which I will take the lead for. We spent four weeks learning about project management, consulting, budgeting and fundraising. I visited several creative and innovative art galleries, cinemas, art schools and museums. Fusing theory with practice is a vital approach to learning.  Learning that the feasibility of a project depends at first hand on the motivation of the people, knowledge and the know-how. The feasibility conveys the relationship between one’s competences and resources and the goal one wants to achieve. For instance, we visited a festival called survival, this initiative started with a group of young ambitious artists using an old train station as a venue for their events. The station serves also an art workshop and work venue for painter, theater rehearsal and concert space. All the artists have part-time jobs to survive and use the rest of the time to sustain their art project. Another example is a couple who built a cinema in the basement of a building. The cinema has 30 seats, with a small bar. I have not seen such initiative at least in the places where I have been in Morocco.  The practical side of the seminar was a display of what our trainers speak about. Study tours and being able to speak with the owners of projects was an amazing opportunity for all of us who are in the pre-preparation phase for our cultural and art project. We would have a seminar about funding opportunities, public relations, and marketing strategies. We would chose one of our colleagues projects and design a marketing plan and get feedback from our trainer. I believe that theory is important and an essential part for any project but practice is what puts the acquired knowledge into reality and sharpens one’s skills the more one learns about real projects.  I am grateful to take part in such a fruitful experience thanks to the Goethe Institute. I am grateful for all the people I met, because they all  positively influenced  my life and thoughts! I am thankful to Dar Si Hmad who encouraged me to pursue my dream and opened up the space to make this training possible.

Fatima Matousse

Our Reflections on a Fruitful Year

As 2014 is coming to a close and the Southwest is recovering from the massive destruction wrought by torrential rain, it is time for a new evaluation of the “water-situation” in the region. During and after the flooding, lives were lost, houses and schools destroyed, livestock drowned, and all of us were awed by the mighty force of the water – all the more because we have grown accustomed to overall water scarcity in the region.

Following the floods, and thanks to emergency funds from Derhem Holding, Dar Si Hmad contributed to the initial relief efforts by repairing roads and providing emergency food and first-aid to affected communities. These dramatic events have demonstrated anew that, whether in lack or in excess, the region’s relationship to water constitutes a dynamic and problematic issue that needs to be constantly revisited.

Here is a brief summary of what Dar Si Hmad has done this past year: Importantly, we have consolidated the efforts of our groundbreaking fog-catchment project. We completed the construction of all the fog nets, the piping, the reservoirs of the fog-project and founded the first “fog observatory” in the world. This miraculous fog is now yielding sufficient water to fill cisterns, and after the official inauguration scheduled for International Water Day on March 21st, 2015, all the water needs of the locals will be met.

Education, like water, continues to be at the center of our efforts. All our programs are founded and designed with the essential component of learning at their heart. 2014 has been particularly productive and has shown how the power of education can be a significant and meaningful magnet and rallying point for youth and community growth. For our two pilot educational programs, a Water School with rural children and ELearning with the first generation of young women attending high school and living in state-sponsored dorms, the impact has been substantial and far-reaching. We are now expanding the scope of these two projects, combined under an educational caravan, or School on Wheels, which brings even more educational opportunities to rural areas and to girls and young women, in particular.  

This year, Dar Si Hmad has also established monthly programs at our Agadir Annex. University students and recent graduates, varying in ages and from all types of backgrounds, have joined us in several educational activities and events such as professional development workshops, thematic seminars, a speaker series, poetry readings, film screenings and student exchanges. We are overjoyed to witness that our commitment to and belief in education is generating a resounding response in Agadir.

Dar Si Hmad has also expanded its partnerships this year. We now collaborate with researchers and students via exchange programs at Moroccan American Commission for Education and Cultural Exchange (MACECE) in Rabat, and have pledged our commitment to the Institute of International Education’s (IIE) challenge of doubling the number of students studying abroad in the next five years. We have strengthened our engagements with our “fog-partners,” notably the Wasserstiftung and the Technical University of Munich, and our funders both nationally and internationally, such as the Derhem Holding, la Promotion Nationale, L’Agence du Bassin Souss-Massa-Drâa, and USAID. These partnerships are in addition to our ongoing collaboration with the Delegation of Education in Sidi Ifni and the Delegation of the Entraide Nationale in Agadir.

We close 2014 with strong, tangible results and are planning for the year to come with enthusiasm and growing expectations. We thank all our partners, supporters and beneficiaries who have always believed in our mission and who have given us opportunities to work and be of service.

Dr. Jamila Bargach

Director of Dar Si Hmad

Dar Si Hmad: A Source of Inspiration

I have never felt more alive than I do now. I feel that I'm a fully functioning member in society. I participate in lots of workshops, attend numerous seminars, conferences, and activities. I'm an active member in several clubs and associations. A great deal of this is thanks to the Moroccan NGO Dar Si Hmad for Development, Education and Culture and others. I met many active community members and was introduced to some amazing people who widened my horizon and opened up new doors for me.

I still remember the first time I set foot in Dar Si Hmad; it was September 17th for a discussion in celebration of International Literacy Day. Ever since that day, I have attended each and every activity that the association organizes, including the professional development workshop series which is conducted by an American Peace Corps volunteer, Em Nidiffer, which aims at improving the professional skills of students and recent graduates. 

Participating in these workshops was such an amazing experience. I have learned lots of tips about CV and  cover letter writing, but the thing that I admired the most is the workshop which was dedicated to career discovery. When I was younger, about six years ago, whenever I was asked about what I wanted to be in the future, my immediate answer would be “a teacher.” However, as time went by my perspective has changed, and this workshop helped me more than I ever thought it would.

On the right, Zaina Dali, attending the screening of
Hakim Belabbes' Film Ssi Bourhim: Imam et Poète. 

During this workshop,  Em had us do a career survey in which we went through several fields and learned about the careers that would best fit our personalities and capabilities. At this point, lots of things were brought to my attention: I recalled that in primary, middle and high school, I won most of the class president elections; in fact, I had just become class president in some TEFL workshops that took place in my university. 

Moreover, every time a professor wanted to assign a student to take responsibility for something in the class or lead a group in a presentation, he would choose me or I would volunteer for it. When Em divided us into groups in the workshop and asked us who wanted to be the leader of their group, my hand arose immediately without having second thoughts about it, and so I was the leader of our group.

I have come to realize that leadership is what I'm most passionate about, and according to members of our group in the workshop, I did a pretty good job at it.  To tell the truth, the more workshops I attended at Dar Si Hmad, the more I discovered new interesting things, particularly about myself. I have gained so much knowledge from them, and for that I would love to thank Em Nidiffer for being such an amazing and brilliant mentor, and special thanks to Dar Si Hmad for always being so helpful and for organizing so many beneficial events.

Zaina Dali

Sophomore, the English Department, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir

Astonishing Experiences at Dar Si Hmad

The first time I went to the non-profit organization Dar Si Hmad, it was for a presentation about education in Morocco. The attendees were students and teachers from different backgrounds. The American presenter, Ms Renda Nazzal, encouraged me to participate and voice my opinion. I enjoyed the conversation between the participants and Renda.

I was happy to discover a space where I could speak English whenever there is a chance to do so. As a student of English, I benefited a lot from Dar Si Hmad’s activities which include personal development workshops, presentations and seminars. The activities taught me the power of sharing ideas and opinions with others, especially in the workshops where the participants work in groups and share their points of view. In addition, the cultural seminars and presentations which are held by anthropologists and other researchers taught me a great deal of things about my culture as a Moroccan.

On the left, Nora Azeroual, a fimmaker, and on the right Sara Bouderqa,
engaging in a conversation about Nora's film; "The forbidden Fruit". 

The fact that the activities I participate in are presented by native or native-like English speakers helped me sharpen sharpen my English skills, and made me confident to communicate and eager to learn. Other than benefiting from the native speakers, I also had the chance to meet, learn and network other Moroccan students, researchers and professionals leading the rest of the activities such as film screenings, seminars, and debates. I became more active in my studies and able to increase my participation in class. In addition, I have learned a lot of useful basic and professional knowledge which is very helpful to ignite my education, work in my society, and contribute to various fields.

My involvement with Dar Si Hmad has been a turning point in my life, giving me a great chance to meet new people with diverse minds and mentalities. I have acquired new skills, learned how to cooperate with others, and have become able to express myself in many situations.

Sara BouderqaSophomore, English Department, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir

Reflections on Dar Si Hmad's Argan-Oil Seminar

"I am paving the way for future generations."

-Naima Said, Argan-Oil Cooperative Member

Naima is a worker, she seems to be 65 years old, but she must be a lot younger. Her face bears the imprint of the sun and the tough conditions of the rural areas. But, like many rural women, Naima is a warrior of sorts; she fights the harsh conditions and continues an ancestral tradition of Argan-oil making. It was coming together, creating a collective body under the aegis of a cooperative that has helped pave the way for these women to make a significant change in the world of Argan. Thanks to all these women’s labor, they have given an international breadth to the Argan industry. As a member of this community, Naima’s role in the cooperative is to distribute the raw Argan nuts to the women and then to collect the fruit after they have finished cracking it open.  This may seem small, but its importance lies in creating a sense of equity between all the workers, all getting the same share.

I had visited the cooperative, meeting with all these women was a powerful moment. I was given the opportunity to witness a small part of their daily life. In the room, the women line up against the wall, sitting facing each other, and crack the nuts.  Often times, one starts humming, the other picks up and then we have a chorus of beautiful singing, the cracking of the Argan giving the tempo.

Dar Si Hmad hosted a seminar on Argan Oil Cooperatives in celebration of the International Day of Rural Women (October 15). We invited students, Naima, and two professors to join the discussion. We asked Naima to speak about her experience, the challenges she faces and her aspirations. By inviting her, we wanted Naima to access a space that has always been reserved for officials and decision-makers who, often times, speak on behalf of the women.

The women are one part of the “chain” that produces the oil; there is the labor-intensive gleaning of the fruit, the packing, the delivery to the cooperatives, where the women then do the hand-cracking of the nuts. Each component of this chain is essential and while the gleaning or packing may be outsourced or is community-based, the cracking is exclusively a women’s job. However, and perhaps because of the gender-stratification, cracking the nuts open, cause these women to have little room to grow in the Argan industry. Naima is one of these women, this collective body, who are today active contributors to the regional economy.

Thus, Naima was very anxious during the seminar, she felt intimidated and thought that not being fluent in Arabic and being low-literate low made her less important. However, and as the discussion progressed, Naima, contributed to the panel with her unique perspective, enriched the discussion and added the real, human dimension to the exchange. Naima believes she and the women are “paving the way for future generations of women to prosper in the field of Argan.”

-Fatima Matousse Project Coordinator & Language Instructor Dar Si Hmad for Development, Education and Culture

Moroccan Argan Oil; a National Treasure

Morocco is known as the only country to have land covered with Argan trees. Argan oil, which is produced via many stages of transforming Argan seeds to a liquid form, is believed to have many medical and cosmetic beneficial properties. Argan Oil is becoming an important product within the international markets.

Dar Si Hmad for Development, Education and Culture, a Moroccan NGO in Agadir, conducted a seminar focusing on the Argan tree as a natural resource and economic sector. The seminar hosted community members such as one involved in Argan oil production and marketing, a member of the Social Development Agency and a member of a cooperative working in the Southwest region.

The first person to speak, an activist in many Argan associations, shed light on the national and international attention given to the Argan tree.  He discussed the price and marketing of Argan oil in national and international markets. Argan oil is exported in the pure (unaltered) liquid form to many international companies. The latter mix it with other items to create other cosmetic products, earning 20 more times the price they bought it from the Moroccan cooperatives, a considerable loss for the Moroccan market. The pharmaceutical transformation of Argan oil is not yet possible for local cooperatives or associations given this requires investment, training and research.

Argan oil producers are predominantly females in rural areas. These women have the know-how of traditional Argan production and use these skills to earn an income in order to meet their needs and that of their families. However, inability of accessing the progress in the field of Argan production limits them and the local industry alike.

Another challenge facing the Moroccan Argan market is the lack of unity within the companies and cooperatives in Morocco. As long as each cooperative is working on its own, the Moroccan competitiveness remains weak in the international markets. The recommendation that the professors presented is how local producers should form one unified alliance if they are to challenge the international companies. There are some efforts to bring all the cooperatives in Morocco together, however the process is long and requires collaboration and dedication.

The Social Development Agency promotes the development of remote areas by engaging the people in the economic sector. The Agency representative stated  that they conduct trainings for female Argan cooperative members and companies, aiming to improve their knowledge on production and distribution practices, management and literacy. The Agency has helped in creating many Argan oil partnerships in Morocco, especially in the areas surrounding Essaouira and Agadir, where Argan trees spread the most.

In brief, Argan oil is a treasure that the people of Southwest Morocco hold close to their hearts. Its profits have contributed to the growth of the local economy and has offered income-opportunities for thousands of rural women. I am happy to have had the opportunity to attend this seminar; I learned a great deal about this special tree and its impact on our communities. I am hopeful for the future of Argan production and the opportunities that it can bring to the people of Morocco.

-Ali Tataousst

Student at Ibn Zohr University, English Department

Argan-Oil Seminar Participant & Community Member

Dar Si Hmad joins the IIE Generation Study Abroad Initiative

We are thrilled to announce that Dar Si Hmad for Development, Education and Culture has joined the Institute of International Education's Generation Study Abroad initiative to help more Americans to gain international experience through study abroad programs. Dar Si Hmad commits to conducting new and expanding activities that help encourage international participation in study, internship and research in Southwest Morocco.

Morocco is increasingly becoming an important destination for scholarship and language education. As a result, Dar Si Hmad is positioning the organization to lead these efforts in the southern region of the country. Since 2010, Dar Si Hmad has invited university students and professors to participate in our Ethnographic Field-School, engaging firsthand in the culture through our experiential approach. Since then, Dar Si Hmad has grown to offer language instruction in three different Arabic dialects and the local language of the South, Tashelhit Berber, research support, a home-stay program and internship opportunities in meaningful rural development projects.

Under this new partnership with the Institute of International Education, Dar Si Hmad is taking concrete steps to expand opportunities for study abroad. Take a look at our info-graphic below, and please contact Dar Si Hmad for further information on our programs. We welcome students, faculty, interns, researchers and all "movers and shakers" to join us!

Dar Si Hmad
info@darsihmad.org
fb.com/darsihmad
Tel: +212 (0) 528 84 3065
www.study.darsihmad.org
Sidi Ifni & Agadir, Morocco