I learned a lot about the changing role of women in Morocco yesterday, and this was complimented very well today with discussions on women artisans and the tech entrepreneurship ecosystem in Morocco. My day began with another assortment of breads and mint tea by my host mom before I headed back over (on my own again!) to CCCL.
Our session on women artisans started with a discussion of what “craft” is. Our guest speaker explained how craft is a form of technology (which many people forget!) that uses indigenous rather than scientific techniques. Unfortunately, the rise of factories and stores like Amazon has caused the labor involved in crafts to become less visible, leading many to assume that crafts are “less good” and/or forget about the people behind the products they are purchasing. I feel like as I have gotten older and begun spending my own money, I have become much more concerned with where the items I am purchasing come from. However, I was also realizing that in the past when I was on vacation and looking for souvenirs, I was much less concerned with where an item came from and was much more focused on how much I like it. I am realizing now that where an item comes from (regardless of the circumstance) is important to consider when making a purchase.
Most artisans in Morocco used to only make $1 (or less) a day because of middlemen who had more market access to sell their products but would also retain more of the profit from each sale as a result. As we learned today, groups like the Anou Cooperative have begun implementing changes to fix this. The Anou Cooperative follows an artisan-owned model, which trains artisans on how to use an app to sell their products to cut out middlemen and increase their own profits. If I am paying a lot for a product, I want to know that more of my money is going to the people who actually make it. The Anou Cooperative has also began hosting workshops with these artisans to further connect consumers to them. Our speaker noted that this model is not about feminism; it is about increasing women’s income so that they have more leverage/power in society. I think that the Anou Cooperative could be a very good partner for UM6P (the university my group is researching) to continue to build on this with the younger generation.
The second session of the day was about the tech entrepreneurship landscape in Morocco, which interestingly grew during the pandemic. Although entrepreneurship was seen as risky, the government began to recognize the value it could provide and began funding places like UM6P to foster more innovation. Similarly, the Casablanca Technopark was also created as a place for startups to grow and support one another. The government realized that entrepreneurs in Morocco who felt supported were more likely to stay in Morocco and develop products that would benefit the country. I found this interconnectedness between Morocco, its government, and cooperations very interesting and definitely something I want to explore more on my site visit to UM6P. I am curious about the benefits and challenges of having so much government oversight over a place of education.
Between very thought-provoking sessions at CCCL and meals with my host family, I took some more time to explore the medina and shops around the Kasbah (I included some pictures below). Rabat continues to impress me, and I am excited see how Marrakesh compares tomorrow!
