On the night of 8th September, a 6.8 magnitude earthquake and a 4.9 magnitude aftershock struck the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, around 70 miles south of Marrakech. Over 2000 people have died and many more have been critically injured but with the epicentre of the quake located in a remote area, that number is expected to rise, so help is urgently needed. Here’s how you can get involved:
Direct donations – a range of charities are running appeals to fund emergency food, shelter, medical aid and clean water, including Action Aid, UNICEF, Global Giving, Islamic Relief and The Red Cross.
Buy some art – Artists for Morocco, a new collective of 26 Moroccan artists and photographers, by Moroccan GQ Middle East editor-at-large Samira Larouci, photographer Anass Ouaziz and designer Ismail Elaaddioui is holding a print sale to raise money for the earthquake appeal. All the proceeds from the sale will be donated to Amal Women’s Training Center (a Marrakesh-based women’s charity delivering food) and Rif Tribes Foundation (an NGO working to bring aid to the affected remote villages).
Buy some homeware – interiors store A New Tribe, which specialises in Moroccan rugs, most of which are made in the Atlas Mountains, is donating 15% of the proceeds from its Moroccan Made collection of rugs, ceramics and candles, to various Moroccan charities on the ground.