ADRA Spain has once again traveled to the Moroccan Atlas villages that were severely impacted by the 6.8 magnitude earthquake on September 8, 2023, the most powerful recorded in the area in over 60 years.

This time, Daniel Abad, coordinator of ADRA Spain in Morocco, and Marta Ayuso, member of the ADRA Spain team, have coordinated two new deliveries of goats for the Berber populations of the area. In total, 375 goats have been distributed among 75 families who lost their livestock activity due to the earthquake.

“It’s local livestock: it’s the parcha breed and the Atlas black breed,” explains Abad. “They are indigenous and very well adapted to the environment. The goats are adapted to their surroundings, which are very cold in winter and very hot in summer.”

Each of the shepherd beneficiaries of this project has received five livestock specimens (one male and four females) that are properly marked and vaccinated before being delivered to the families. Within a period of six months, the livestock will be able to double their number of specimens, and the shepherds will regain their main economic activity in local markets.

The beneficiaries have been chosen from the local population with the help of the local non-profit organization Al Ofoq. Beneficiary shepherds must identify themselves with their national identity number, sign the transfer contracts provided by ADRA, and commit in writing to dedicate these animals to their economic activity and not to other uses.

This initiative by ADRA Spain aims to provide an opportunity for a new beginning after the earthquake. “They lost their homes, some lost family members, and also their economic activity. Now they can have a new beginning and they receive it with great happiness,” explains Bouker Bennani, representative of Al Ofoq. “It’s a new opportunity that will allow them to stop asking others for help.”

Each of the 375 beneficiaries has also received 160 kilograms of alfalfa and forage with which they can feed the livestock for the next two months. Families acknowledge that with the sale, in the future, of one of these goats, they can obtain the necessary income to survive for two months.

During this new visit to the Atlas populations, Abad and Ayuso have also been able to visit some of the shepherds who were given livestock five months ago. At that time, ADRA Spain already made an initial delivery of 150 specimens of goats to a total of 30 families in four villages.

“When the goats grow up, we can sell them and reinvest that money to buy food and other products,” explains one of the shepherds who has benefited from the help of ADRA Spain. “Our goal is to have a small livestock where, at least once a month, we can sell one specimen in the local market.”

This project, and all the humanitarian response deployed in Morocco by ADRA, is possible thanks to the selfless funding of our partners, donors, and especially the following countries: ADRA Germany, ADRA Japan, ADRA Australia, ADRA France, ADRA Canada, ADRA Netherlands, ADRA Belgium, ADRA Austria, ADRA Europe, ADRA Norway, ADRA New Zealand, ADRA Czech Republic, ADRA Portugal, and ADRA Switzerland.

This article was provided by the Inter-European website.