communal space

We are creating a free, safe and open space for the local women living in this region to come together, meet each other and learn from each other. With henna, handicrafts, ideas and shared knowledge, the women can come together regularly. We will help to empower the women in making a step towards financial independency.

In this region in south east Morocco, a lot of the women living in small villages tend to stay at home. Their opportunities to work and earn money are small. Many girls have not had the chance to complete their education. A lot of them stay at home - some into middle age - until they get married. 

sahara nomads

There are still nomads living in the Sahara desert. We know many of them through Said’s childhood in the desert. The women make handicrafts - with traditional techniques learned in the family - from goat or camel wool and other available materials. They occasionally sell handmade products to passing tourists visiting the desert. We want to help them accelerate this sale by selling their products in our project and also outside Morocco. We will act as a link between them and external buyers. They can also use our communal space and the materials we have made available.

a space for stories and exchange

We want to provide the local women with a foundation to be financially more independent and to help them find an active place in society.

Through workshops, social exchanges and artistic activities we will create a place for community where there is space to discuss, create, share and learn. With bought materials and in the near future also natural produce from our land, we will cooperate with the women and make traditional and organic products to generate an income for the local women. They will receive the largest part of the income while a small part will go towards the empowering space for covering the material costs. The ultimate goal is for the women to keep 100% of the proceeds.

Our space will serve as a meeting place between generations. Older women can pass on their knowledge to the new generation, so that indigenous knowledge is not lost.

handmade products

In all families in this region, the women are highly skilled and have learned many traditional handicraft techniques. Products such as carpets, bags, clothing, pillows, scarves and jewelry are made with wool from their own sheep and goats or with recycled residual materials. The wool is often spun and dyed by hand, and processed into threads for weaving, embroidery and crocheting.

We will offer materials for the handicrafts, make connections between our community and other organisations and guide the women through networking and sales. Over time we would like to invite artists to collaborate with the women: techniques can be exchanged.

Like an oasis in the desert, this place will become a natural meeting place and hub of creativity for the women in the area.

‘A day in the oasis’, designed and created by Sabrina HoiYan Young

art is free thinking

We plan to build a workshop space for the children from the villages in the area. By enlarging the focus on art we make space for creative thinking.  

There will be workshops in visual arts, handicrafts, music and theatre. A space for an artist in residence will be created. The invited artists are given the opportunity to work on their projects while carefully involving children and women from the area. From her background as a visual artist and her experience in education, Linde will share her knowledge and several techniques through workshops with the local women and children.

desert gardening

We will organise workshops in English and sports and there will be a high focus on permaculture and selfsustainability.

A part of the land will be transformed into gardens for the children to care for. Here, they can grow their own organic food and take care of young trees. The children will learn about a selfsustainable way of living. We will teach them methods of maintaining a garden in such a dry and hot climate. We support the new generation to be well prepared for the worrying situation of the desertification.

Through this way we hope to enlarge consciousness of the climate changes and create more awareness about caring for the environment.