Asni, High Atlas and the Eve Branson Foundation

Next morning we had to get up quite early as we were to meet with Zoubair at 8 am to be in Foundation’s ‘headquarters’ in the Kasbah Tamadot at 9. Kasbah Tamadot is one of Richard Branson’s private retreats, we were invited there to speak with the Manager – Mr Kenton. He explained us how the hotel not only is Foundation’s base but also how it worked to support the local community via its own channels and via the Eve Branson Foundation. One of the amazing fact is that this £1k-a-night resort 95% of staff are local people were recruited from nearby villages, thought new skills and languages and given them many opportunities to provide for themselves and their families. After the meeting we were treated to a delicious lunch. We had an opportunity to talk with people working in Kasbah (their English is pretty well actually) and got known about their lives and also they explained us how Kasbah and the Eve Branson Foundation influenced positively on their communities and improved them. The main of the Eve Branson Foundation workshops is on the opposite side of the valley from the hotel. This is where most young girls are being taught their ways in the weaving, embroidery etc. What they produce is later sold from the hotel based Virgin Unite shop. We were a bit unlucky having arrived to Kasbah on a Monday, which is a day off for girls from the Foundation. Zoubair recommended to visit lovely a small village called Imlil. The village is located on a hill of the High Atlas Mountains; Views from there are actually amazing. We were invited for a dinner by a very nice man to his house. Firstly we had drunk nice tea with views on highest peaks of the Atlas Mountains and then we ate great dinner with a really nice couple of South Koreans, who speak Arabic quite fluently.

Next morning we were invited to a function organised for Kasbah Tamadot’s guests who trekked through the valley to meet the girls. First we went to the Cashmere goat’s enclosure to see the goats who contribute their fur to fulfil girl’s goals and who were brought here by Eve from Britain. Afterwards we caught up with the Kasbah group in the workshop for a lesson of tea-making and education on Eve Branson Foundation hosted by a group of girls who are taking direct part in the project – through that involvement the Foundation and Kasbah are trying to open the eyes of tourist on the problems of this land where life not only is hard work in the field, washing yourself in freezing water but even most basic needs like access to fresh water or clothes. There is also another problem a big part of Moroccan population is facing – people coming from tribal background, like in being Berber in case of those girls, have difficulties with learning due to having to speak fluently at least 3-4 languages which is especially hard to achieve for young people.

After the function we were invited to stay to meet the girls and to divide physical support that we brought with us between the girls for themselves or their families and the local orphanage. All of them were absolutely delighted to meet us and to see that somebody actually went an extra mile for them and out of gratitude they treated us with a few really beautiful songs. Having met girls that learn how to make all those beautiful things, as promised we went to the Virgin Unite shop and purchased different things made by them, from cushion covers to a carpet to be brought back by us and to be auctioned off after we get back. £150 for that was raised by my colleagues in my call centre in Glenrothes and all profit will go back to the EBF (Eve Branson Foundation).