Today’s classroom involved a handful of guest speakers. For starters, the Anou cooperative made me realize how transformative establishing fair pay can be. In the past, the rural craftswoman who produced rugs in Morocco would only earn a sliver of profit, 4%, which discouraged many future artisans. However, with the introduction of Anou’s platform they can now sell their products directly, pass the middleman who used to take the majority of the earnings, and absorb said earnings for themself. This change not only sustains the livelihood of rural craftswoman, but it also helps to preserve the cultural traditions involved.

Additionally, the training element involved with the Anou cooperative stood out to me. Through employees traveling on site alongside mouth to mouth, artisans are taught how to use the site allowing for a thriving cooperative from community support alongside technology.

Reflecting on this improvement, I don’t believe to have truly thought that deeply when it comes to purchasing products for myself. Whether shopping in-person or online, I typically browse with only the consideration of the product itself in the pricing, and not the entire process to get it to my doorstep.

When it comes to the Moroccan entrepreneurship ecosystem, we were able to highlight Morocco’s unique startup culture which is primarily shaped by both stability and tradition. In the past, local Moroccans have had an overall preference towards secure jobs when compared to the uncertainty and risk that is tied alongside entrepreneurship. Recently, startups have been able to replicate success seen abroad with entrepreneurs when they focus on addressing local challenges / issues. In addition, I noticed the surge in effectiveness whenever there is an emphasis on inclusivity, such as startups being designed to benefit entire communities. This is important when I visit ANDD alongside my group, where it’ll be important to recognize how a digital development project such as theirs must be culturally grounded in order to maintain success.