Anou and the women’s cooperative collectively support female artisan crafters. From what I noticed, Anou is more digitally enhanced, as it connects artisans to consumers directly, while the cooperative is more of a space for women to work together and build a community, like the son mentioned today. Both organizations strive to create an uplifting and fair ecosystem for women, a space that is often neglected in this country. It gives visibility to hardworking, often rural women to foreign consumers, highlighting the current market dynamic and showing where the real work comes from.

The souk system in Morocco consists of many independent vendors that create a market for people to shop for necessities and other crafts. These vendors are usually middlemen who source their goods from cheaper areas and upcharge them by a crazy amount. This raises questions about the margins earned by those involved in the first stage of distribution. In my experience in Marrakech and Rabat, the prices being thrown around for the same product were vastly different, which goes to show the imbalance of profit for the artisans, especially if the product is handmade.

Women’s cooperatives, on the other hand, are designed to support artisans directly. Stepping into the cooperative, it felt a lot more genuine, and I could tell the workers shared decision-making responsibilities. From the son’s description, I inferred that these cooperatives emphasize fair wages, ethical production, and positive community development. Prices are usually fixed, which, in my opinion, creates a lot more transparency for me, especially when compared to the souk. Anou expands on this concept even further by making all the transactions digitally mediated, which is a crucial step in maintaining Moroccan customs while also prioritizing the economic future.

As a consumer, I would prefer buying from Anou rather than the cooperative, but I do believe there are situations for both. If I want something cheap, quick, or small, I’d look no further than the street vendors and splash out 20 dirhams for a keychain. Souks also provide an unforgettable cultural experience, which I don’t get back in the States. However, if I want something handcrafted and authentic, I would be more inclined to buy from a cooperative. It also means more when my purchase fights systemic inequality and directly supports women instead of the middleman who gives them 4%. Being able to handcraft leather items in the cooperative also made me respect the system even more. The amount of time and effort it took to craft a single item was immense, and I have nothing but respect for the cause and the crafters. Items like rugs, boxes, and leather bags would most likely be purchased from a cooperative on my end.