TONNY ONYULO reports on how faith leaders and organisations are providing relief in the wake of Morocco’s devastating earthquake earlier this month…
Marrakech, Morocco
Maryam El Filahi, with her two remaining children, sits outside their temporary shelter in this fourth-largest city in the southern part of the country. She is among thousands of residents displaced by the earthquake that killed more than 3,000 people and shook one of Morocco’s most famous medinas.
Filahi lost three of her five children and her husband when a 6.8 powerful earthquake on the night of 8th September wiped her entire village in just seconds in the High Atlas Mountains – around 70 kilometres south of Marrakech.
“The powerful quake destroyed our house and killed some of my family members,” said the 40-year-old mother, who owned a restaurant in the High Atlas Mountains before the earthquake struck. “We were saved by search and rescue teams who dug through the rubble with their bare hands to rescue us. I am lucky to be alive with my remaining children. We had injuries, but health workers treated us.”
A general view of damages in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake, in Adassil, Morocco, on 11th September, 2023. PICTURE: Reuters/Nacho Doce
Thousands of survivors, including Filahi, have been spending their nights sleeping outside in makeshift shelters in the city of Marrakech after losing their homes. Many survivors are still struggling to access food and water. The government says that volunteers and relief workers are facing challenges in reaching the worst-affected villages in the High Atlas Mountains due to bad roads and collapsed buildings.
The situation has prompted religious leaders, including Christians, to intervene by offering prayers, distributing food, water, and medicine to survivors, as well as providing shelter and temporary housing, among other things. The religious leaders are also offering emotional and psychological support to the victims.
“The church people and relief organisations have assisted us since the earthquake destroyed everything we had.”
– Maryam El Filahi
Early this week, for example, hundreds of local and foreign Christians and relief organisations visited victims in Marrakech to provide drinking water and distribute food, tents, blankets, medical supplies, and other necessities. The leaders also visited the injured in various hospitals to pray and offer counselling.
“The church people and relief organisations have assisted us since the earthquake destroyed everything we had,” said Filahi, referring to other victims of the earthquake. “The church leaders are sympathising with us and praying for us. They are giving us tents, blankets and food to ensure our families, especially children are safe and have something to eat daily.”
Among the faith-based organisations, particularly Christian charities, visiting victims of the earthquake include the Anglican Church in Tangier, Caritas Rabat, Convoy of Hope, Barnabas Aid, World Help, Plain Compassion Crisis Response, Send Relief, Operation Blessing, Presbyterian Church, and People in Mission International. Among Muslim charities which have responded are Muslim Global Relief, Muslim Aid, Islamic Relief, Muslim Hands, and Penny Appeal.
Children affected by a deadly earthquake stand outside a house, in the rural village of Azermoun, Morocco, on 14th September, 2023. PICTURE: Reuters/Hannah McKay
The North African country of more than 37 million people is considered an Islamic country, with Muslims accounting for about 99 per cent of the population, according to the International Religious Freedom Report for 2020. The report also indicates that Christians, Jews, and Baha’is constitute less than one per cent of the population.
Morocco is ranked 29th on Open Doors’ 2021 World Watch List, where it is hardest to be a Christian. The country’s law prohibits shaking the faith of a Muslim, and the “press is denied freedom of expression and criticism in matters of religion.”
However, Christians and faith-based organisations said Morocco is safest for Christians as long as they can pray and worship secretly in their homes without challenging the Muslim faith. Christian charities are also allowed to operate freely in the country, and the authorities have permitted the consumption of alcohol and pork, which are prohibited by sharia from other Muslim countries.
Fr Oscar Arturo Padilla, director of Caritas Rabat, and other officials from the organisation have been visiting villages in Marrakech that were destroyed by the earthquake to donate money and blood and distribute food, medicine, tents, clothes, generators, and first aid kits. Fr Padilla also noted that other Christians across the country were responding to the sufferings of the victims and were distributing water and food such as milk, flour, canned goods, and cakes.
“The situation is so bad because people have lost their loved ones and lost everything when the earthquake struck,” he said, noting that the Caritas was mobilising more resources to continue helping the victims. “The residents need more help because they are still helpless. We urge everyone to respond and assist families with whatever they have so that they can get some food and a place to spend the night.”
Diana Sasha, a representative of foreign Christians, said they have been visiting the injured in hospitals and those families living in tents in Marrakech to counsel and pray with them so that they are able to recover physiologically.
“The survivors and the families that lost their loved ones due to the earthquake are going through a lot. Many of the victims are still mourning their loves; some are experiencing nightmares, and others are stressed because of the kind of living conditions they are going through after the earthquake,” she said.
“We are talking to the victims to understand their current situation and come to terms with what happened to them and their loved ones. Once they come to terms, we encourage them to appreciate themselves and thank God for saving them from death,” she added, noting that they were carrying out their visits daily.
A view shows the damage in Talat N’Yaaqoub, in the aftermath of Morocco’s deadliest earthquake on 12th September, 2023. PICTURE: ReutersMehmet Caliskan
Convoy of Hope, an American faith-based non-profit humanitarian and disaster relief organisation, is also working to distribute relief supplies to those left devastated by the earthquake in Marrakech and other affected areas.
The organisation has been distributing food, water, hygiene supplies, medicine, shelter, blankets, and generators to survivors.
“The quake damaged a staggering amount of infrastructure, limiting access to shelter and water systems for entire communities,” they said in their recent press release, urging well-wishers to donate to the fund. “We are committed to providing help in the form of relief supplies to the hundreds of thousands of people affected by the earthquake.”
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Muslim charities have also launched an appeal to help survivors of the earthquake. When the earthquake struck, for example, Islamic Relief launched a £10 million appeal to help the victims. The money raised is being used to provide an emergency food parcel, shelter, and water for the earthquake survivors.
“When the earthquake struck, families were left without nowhere to sleep and nothing to eat,” said Hana Elabdallaoui, an official from Islamic Relief. “We have tried to distribute aid and offer tents to ensure families are safe. We appeal for more donations to reach everyone.”
Meanwhile, Mohamd Mohamed, another survivor of the earthquake living in Marrakech, appealed for more help from donors, saying the vital aid was not reaching everyone affected by the earthquake.
“Whatever they are distributing is not enough. We need more food, water and shelter,” he said. “The situation is getting worse, and the aid is not getting to us. We appeal for anyone to assist us with this situation.”
– With reporting by AMEEN AUWALII in Morocco
