Today we had an early rise to check out of our hotel after a great day of exploring and taking advantage of all that Marrakesh had to offer. Before we left, we headed to the women’s cooperative to learn more about its history and the impact it has on the community. The cooperative made this such a welcoming and pleasant experience as we enjoyed tea and sweets while learning how to make a leather bag of our own.
After being able to understand the values of the women’s cooperative, I can see similarities between it and the Anou cooperative we learned about during a guest lecture. Both cooperatives are centered around preserving the traditional practices of women’s craftsmanship. The Anou cooperative does this by removing the middleman, while the women’s cooperative gives artisans more control over their craft by operating as an artisan-owned cooperative. Both businesses work to preserve these traditional crafts through fair pay and seller-to-consumer transparency.
This idea of giving power back to women is completely different from the business model of the souks. From my many visits to the souks, I can say that it is a very overwhelming experience, with an excess of items everywhere. At the same time, it is a major tourist attraction where visitors bargain and search for the lowest prices. This fast-paced environment is very different from the cooperative model, where consumers are put in direct contact with the women themselves. The focus shifts toward sustainability and quality over quantity.
Looking specifically at the women’s cooperative, consumers are able to meet the women who created the items. This allows their stories to be heard. I could tell from the owner’s son translating during our visit that there is always an important family history and personal story behind every artisan. Similarly, the Anou cooperative focuses on providing fair and sustainable profits to artisans through fair-trade practices.
As a consumer, I personally prefer the women’s cooperative format because, as a tourist, I want to buy my items in person in Morocco while also understanding the rich background behind them. These are the values I look for when purchasing an item here in Morocco, and luckily the women’s cooperative does an amazing job of reflecting them.