Motherhood & Morocco
Motherhood & Morocco
All life comes from women. This is a fact we all know and see the evidence of daily, yet it is also a fact we choose to ignore or employ only when it is of convenience to society. Women are the backbone, the lifeblood, the prana, and the chi of all life. As we endure heartbreak, trauma, and illness, we call out for our mothers. As men die on battlefields and in army hospitals, they yearn for a touch of their mother. Across cultures, the mother figure is a respected tenet of the community, and in Morocco’s Argan Cooperative, the motherhood experience is respected and supported.
Though the history of feminism in Morocco is varied and contains times of both celebration and tension, yet the importance of family has remained a central tenet.
At the Argan oil cooperative, women bring the fruit from their argan trees into the cooperative, weigh, process and eventually, sell them for cosmetics and food oils. In this system, women own their own trees and are responsible for each step of the process. They are paid based on their contribution in kilograms. Clients range from small product producers to larger companies, such as Loreal. For the women in the cooperative, to work, free childcare is provided by the facility. In the region of the US where I currently live, the average childcare cost is $2700 per month, according to Care.com.
This system brings into question the value of motherhood in the US versus in Morocco. At the cooperative, free childcare allows women the ability to care for their trees and show up to work at the processing facility. If there was no childcare, they would not work- as explained by a representative of the Cooperative.
Not only does the cooperative provide childcare, they also support education through literacy and financial literacy programs. These programs are not just limited to the 100 members of the cooperative- they are open to anyone in the community who is impoverished and in need of support. The women come together, create a structure of support, and extend that support system out into the community.
What is good for one is good for all. When all members of the community are respected and supported, the collective benefits. This concept is demonstrated beautifully in the Moroccan Argan Cooperative in Taroudant, Morocco.
Source
Motherhood and transitional justice in Morocco. Home. (n.d.). https://www.soufflesmonde.com/posts/motherhood-and-transitional-justice-in-morocco
This is such a great reflection on the value of women, especially mothers, and how societies choose to support or not support them. You’re right: women are the backbone of life, and yet their contributions are often overlooked or only acknowledged when convenient. The Argan Cooperative in Morocco is a great example of how recognizing and respecting the role of women, particularly mothers, can transform communities.
ReplyDeleteAs you pointed out, the history of feminism varies but through it all family remains a core value. As an expectant mother visiting Morocco, it was evident that motherhood is revered. Mohammed toward the end of his time with us blessed me, my family, and the baby. It was such a surreal moment of man here is a practical stranger that cares so deeply about me and my baby. (a stranger no more!!). I found the cooperative to be encouraging. It really shows the impact of what happens when a community chooses to care and respect women in all seasons of life. Empowerment is powerful and comes in many forms such as education, job security, childcare, friends, and much more. We can all learn from the Moroccan Argan Cooperative in Taroudant, Morocco.
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