Summer 2022 service trip:
GRASSROOTS DEVELOPMENT & CULTURAL EXCHANGE IN MOROCCO
In June 2022, seven LIVE Club members traveled to Morocco. After flying to Marrakech, the group traveled several hours into the High Atlas Mountains, where we arrived in the village of Tizi n’Oucheg. After learning about the grassroots development projects that the village is undertaking, with the ultimate goals of increasing the standard of living, expanding education, and encouraging its younger generations to stay in the village, rather than pursue work elsewhere, we spent three days contributing to the village’s current project: the construction of a building that will serve as a local business Cooperative, allowing the women of the village to expand their current practices of making jam, oil, and tea into small micro-businesses. Our team spent three days contributing to the construction of the Coop building: mixing cement and using it to insulate the walls and digging trenches for the building’s plumbing.
While staying in Tizi n’Oucheg, we were able to not only learn much about the current building project, but also about village life and culture in general. We learned about local life, the problems the village faces, and how they are coming together to overcome these challenges from the village leaders; we were welcomed into the villager’s homes to bake bread with them; and we played a competitive game of soccer against the local teenagers! We also learned some basics of the Arabic language and how Islam influences Morrocan culture.
After several days in the village, we traveled back to Marrakech, where we were able to spend several days exploring the city. We toured beautiful historic sites and explored the vibrant and bustling markets of the city center while also continuing our education on Moroccan culture: we took an Arabic calligraphy lesson, had a roundtable discussion with local university students, took a cooking class, and even visited the family home of one of our local guides.
“Before our adventure to Morocco, I knew next to nothing about Muslim culture and religion allowing America’s view of Africa to blind my perception. After learning about and experiencing Morocco firsthand, I felt ashamed. My ignorant expectations had been succeeded significantly once I spent time in the village. Looking back on this trip, I realize that every human shared insignificant differences, and I hope we can learn to become more connected as a people.”
Racheal Fransen, Class of 2022
tHANK YOU TO OUR 2021-2022 SPONSORS who made this trip possible:
Ojai Valley Lions Club
linda taylor
George Locke
Brian Dempsey
Lauri Aloi
Ginger Maxwell
Rayme Rossello
Tracey Nelms
James & Ruth Cooper
M.O. Town Fitness
Mitzi archer
Anna matusevich
Gary & Jenny Windell
Mary Equibel
Karl & Beverly Mallette
Hugh & Eliana Thacher
Ronald & Linda JObmann
IRene Hector
glenn fout
J. Stephen & Priscilla Granade Trust
Mary DeWeese
corrina wright
salvatore demauro
Jenna Stockwell
Marcus & Eva Kettles
Kim Sprout
Ojai Valley Optimist Club
Natascha Dea Burdeinei
Wanda Weller
Kirsten Miles
Sami Zahringer
Ruth Reid
Chad Pearson
Sarah Bremner
Ann Marie Parent
David Anderson
Jonathon & Linda Lambert
Kara Hooper
Judith Lee Oberlander
Gary & Olivia Mull
David Fransen
Ira & Lindsey Stockwell
ColoniaL Tree & LandscapinG
michael caldwell
linda burr
Beverly Schuberth
Dennis Guernsey
Mia Martinez
Eric Stoen
Tamara & Martin Lanmead
Kenneth & Kathleen McAlpine
Susan Crutchfield
Kandis Geise
rotary club of ojai west
the chabad of Ojai
Aman Segal
Shay BuckBuck
Keri Setnicka
John Lewis
Cheryl Jensen
Santa Paula Rotary Club
Sharon Smith
Alfred Foster
Susan Bee
Ernie Hudson
Jeff Sanders
Wendy bonvechio
Barbara Miller
Jordan Hitt
Sydney Walker
Ryan & JenNifer Burkett
Lillian Tally
Jim Halverson
Richard Bolton
Sybil & David DeMauro
Pamela Weiant
Sydney Walker
Carole Day
Kim Bruce