Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Noon: Meet Fatima
It's been a long, hot morning cracking argan nuts at a fair-trade women's cooperative near
Agadir, and Fatima is ready for her lunch break. She's not really hungry - now that she has
a steady hourly income through the cooperative, she doesn't go hungry anymore - but she
could use a breather, and likes to chat. She speaks Tashelhit at home, gets by in Moroccan
Arabic, and can say 'hello' and 'welcome' in French and English to foreigners who some-
times visit the argan cooperative, but she doesn't read or write.
Her five grandchildren do, though, and she's very proud of that fact. Fatima lives
frugally, saving most of her income to cover their school fees. All her four children are
married, and she always has stories and treats for her grandchildren when they visit. When
she goes into town to visit her daughter, she's truly shocked by the prices and she's sur-
prised by how informal young people are towards their elders, though not offended - she
thinks it's good for young people to think for themselves.
As Fatima stands, she feels a pang of arthritis. She worries about the family that has
largely depended on her since her husband passed away a few years ago. She thanks God
she can work, and is determined that in two years she'll make the pilgrimage to Mecca,
in-
shallah
(God willing).
Moroccan girls account for almost two-thirds of the half-million Moroccan kids under 15 who
work instead of getting an education.
