Disaster Response Morocco Project #61287

Urgent Earthquake Response in Morocco

by ActionAid USA

Project Report | May 27, 2025
ActionAid's Reach Post Earthquake - Final Report

By Ehab Elsawaf | Deptuty Director of Development

Zones of Intervention - Morocco Earthquake

Thank you for your incredible support of this project. ActionAid has completed its intended intervention following the earthquake in Morocco.

Since the beginning of this effort, our response had four main outcomes:

Meet the essential needs of women and girls in the areas of WASH, shelter, food as well as provide protection information with dignity, safety,and respect.
Develop community-based protection mechanisms that actively involve women in response activities.
Strengthen the regional GBV protection system to help women and girls in need of specialized protection services.
Guarantee protection responses for the most vulnerable women and girls affected by the earthquake.

Thanks to you, ActionAid has reached a total of 2,856 people (1,368 women, 475 men, 420 girls, and 393 boys).

Response Activities included:

Multisectorial Emergency Response With A Focus On Protection

In each village/camp, a comprehensive and multisectoral response with a protection approach was provided:

105 households have access to shelter adapted to weather conditions and having into consideration risk factors.
A total of 29 facilities were built in 8 villages - 292 households
Distribution of food kits for 438 households
Distribution of 1,721 dignity kits for women

Women Led Community Mechanisms For Protection

Training of 32 women and young girls and exchange meetings
Creation of Safe Spaces in 11 villages and facilitation of awareness raising workshops with 341 women
Cash transfers to 7 safe spaces to initiate a collective action to ensure the sustainability: maintenance of the spaces, funds to cover protection expenses

Strengthening The Regional Protection System

Seminar - Reinforcement of GBV protection networks in Marrakesh (women leaders, NGOs and institutions)
Meeting between NGOs specialized in women's rights in Marrakesh
Capacity training for local actors: trainings for organizations on the principles of humanitarian action, the intersectional approach to gender, women's leadership in humanitarian response

Protection Response For Women And Girls Survivors Of The Earthquake And/Or GBV

Individual management of 156 cases of GBV (psychosocial support, legal support, activation of care routes - referral of cases, cash protection).
Accompaniment of 399 women to access state aid and protection programs.
Livelihood support to 37 women

More than 15 months post earthquake, there is still a need for continued support. To ensure long-term impact and sustainability, the next phase of our strategy will focus on localization of aid through key actions that will help strengthen local organizations' ability to manage the ongoing nature of this response.

Thank you for your commitment and trust in our work.

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Jan 29, 2025
Over One Year Later - Rebuilding Post Earthquake

By Ehab Elsawaf | Senior Major Gifts Officer, ActionAid USA

Thank you for your support of this project, I writing to share some updates on ActionAid’s work in Morocco.

Following the devastating 6.8 magnitude earthquake that struck central Morocco on September 8, 2023, thousands of lives were lost, and entire communities across the Atlas Mountains were displaced. The disaster severely impacted 660,000 people, destroying over 59,000 homes, displacing 380,000, and leaving thousands injured or dead. Urgent needs emerged in the areas of shelter, water, sanitation, healthcare, and education.

ActionAid, in collaboration with local partners, has been working on the ground to address these pressing needs. Our response has so far included providing essential services and meeting basic needs, while also supporting economic empowerment, especially for women and girls. Efforts to restore livelihoods, repair damaged infrastructure, and deliver psychosocial support have been crucial in helping the affected communities regain some stability. In addition, ActionAid focused on the protection of vulnerable groups, particularly women and girls, through community-based protection mechanisms and awareness-raising sessions, facilitating trainings for young female leaders, and encouraging them to play key roles in the recovery process.

Through these interventions, by the end of 2024, ActionAid reached a total of 2,656 people across various communities in affected areas. Specific outreach included 1,303 people benefiting from WASH services, 1,302 receiving food, and 1,190 individuals receiving dignity kits. Additionally, safe spaces were established for women, providing them with a platform for support and collective action. Protection efforts were also reinforced through the identification of 69 cases of physical and mental health issues, gender-based violence, and barriers to education, with referrals made to specialized organizations.

Moving forward, and as part of the long-term appraoch to our humanitarian response, ActionAid will continue meeting the immediate needs of affected people, advancing advocacy efforts and community enrichment programs, and promoting disaster risk reduction and response planning in order to mitigate the impact of future crises. Thank you for powering all this work. We will continue to share updates as they are received.

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Sep 5, 2024
One Year On - Recovery Continues

By Ehab Elsawaf | Senior Major Gifts Officer, ActionAid USA

Thank you for supporting this project! I’m writing to share some updates on ActionAid’s work in Morocco.

One year ago, a 6.8 magnitude earthquake and a 4.9 magnitude aftershock struck Morocco, with an epicenter in the High Atlas Mountains, 71 kilometers from Marrakesh. This earthquake was the deadliest in Morocco since 2004, killing more than 3,000 people, injuring 56,741 and destroying 59,674 houses.

Following a needs assessment, ActionAid determined that safe and winterized temporary shelters were needed, as well as long term food and livelihood security, psychosocial support for affected communities, and educational/recreational activities for children unable to go back to school.

Our emergency response has had a primary focus on addressing immediate needs, responding to gaps in access to sanitation, basic necessities, women’s hygiene products, as well as prioritizing the needs of women and girls and supporting women-led responses.

Through this lens, and over the past year, ActionAid has been working alongside three local partner organizations to support vulnerable populations in 14 locations across Morocco. Thanks to your support, our humanitarian response activities have included:

• Food kit distribution

• Water, sanitation and hygiene services (WASH), including the completion and installation of WASH facilities

• Protection services, including leading capacity building workshops with community leaders

• The provision of safe spaces for children

• The provision of essential nonfood items (NFIs) including dignity kits and recreation kits for children

• Shelter support and tent distribution.

These are just some of the ways your support has helped have a powerful and lasting impact, in the face of unimaginable disaster. Now more than ever, your commitment to human rights makes a difference. Thank you again for your solidarity.

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