Today, we learned about a deeper meaning when it comes to shopping. We first had a lesson on the backstory of rugs and how the process of them being hand-made by rural women, to be sold, goes through middlemen. The most shocking part being that they earn only 4% of the profit per item they sell. The discrepancy is large, and that is what The Anou Cooperative is trying to fix. The Anou Cooperative stood out to me as a business that prioritizes people over profit. Many women artisans in rural Morocco face barriers like limited business knowledge, illiteracy, and lack of direct access to customers, which often forces them to depend on intermediaries who take most of the earnings. Anou figured out an impactful solution by using an artisan-owned model that allows women to keep the majority of profits while also providing digital tools and business training to help them become more independent. They use a simple platform that can be easy to grasp and understand with some practice, and from there, women can sell rugs online. What I found especially meaningful is that the artisans are treated as decision-makers, with the organization acting as support rather than control. Their supply chain also emphasizes transparency by connecting buyers to the story behind each product, while promoting more sustainable and locally sourced Moroccan wool. It was also interesting to hear how the Co-Op had reached out to large furnishing companies like West Elm and asked them directly why they were outsourcing “Moroccan rugs” from other countries. Once they got their answer and heard it was because of the lack of infrastructure and ability to reach access, it made sense in what areas needed to be fixed and more attention, so awareness can be created in the future to upkeep the form of craft.

This experience also made me reflect on my own purchasing habits. When buying from small businesses, I usually care about the story, quality, and people behind the product. However, with everyday essentials like food or clothing, convenience and affordability often take priority. Another insight that interested me was learning about Morocco’s relatively small domestic market, which can make it difficult for startups to scale internationally. This raised questions for me about how organizations like Technopark and Mohammed VI Polytechnic University support startups looking to grow beyond Morocco, as well as how partnerships with institutions like OCP Group influence innovation, funding, and long-term growth. As I listened to the lesson about tech ecosystems, I heard how Stargate correlates with UM6P, and it raised more questions for me. Especially when it comes down to all of it being a cycle. The school is funded by the government, and so is OCP Group, which then funds Stargate, and that goes back to the community and comes around full circle. Before this, I did not know how well integrated the start-ups and government initiatives were, but I definitely made some notes to ask some more questions about partnerships during our site visit tomorrow with UM6P!