Text and photos provided by the Tzu Chi Foundation
Translated by Wu Hsiao-ting
On September 8, 2023, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake rocked Morocco in North Africa, marking the most powerful seismic occurrence in the region’s recorded history. The temblor wreaked havoc on villages in the Atlas Mountains and claimed nearly 3,000 lives. The aftermath of the disaster included landslides, collapsed homes, and severed roads. Many people were still living in tents two months after the quake, enduring tough conditions.
Even though the Tzu Chi Foundation didn’t have an office in Morocco, its personnel actively sought ways to provide relief. They decided to partner with the Jood Association, a local charity, for aid distribution.
A series of relief distributions unfolded in various villages beginning on November 8. Tzu Chi provided aid packages containing food such as rice, noodles, chickpeas, and cooking oil, totaling 87 kilograms (190 pounds)—a weight requiring two men to manage. This supply is sufficient for families of five for three months. Hygiene products and blankets were also part of the aid packages. As of early December, over 3,000 households, comprising more than 20,000 individuals, had received assistance. Tzu Chi has also donated two mobile shower units and aims to help 12,000 households by early 2024.
