Discover Limited - Earthquake Statement

Many of you, having direct experience of the sheer human warmth, resourcefulness, and beauty of Morocco’s mountain communities, have been in touch with us to express shared heartfelt dismay and sadness as images and distressing stories have unfurled over the weekend and recent days.

The impact on communities in the most rural areas has been devastation. The mud and stone building materials used in these areas could not withstand this and entire villages have been destroyed. Our thoughts are with those who have lost family and friends and our immediate priority is supporting the work of Education for All – in tracing the girls to be placed on a safe list, providing essential emergency relief to students and their families in the affected regions and repairing/rebuilding their boarding house homes.

We would like to answer the 3 questions that are being asked:

How are the Education for All boarding house girls?

Term had not yet started, and the girls were in their villages. Here are links to Education For All's social media pages:

Facebook and Instagram.

Here you will find updates about the girls and their villages and the boarding houses. There is video footage taken by one of EFA’s student alumni from her village and photos uploaded by the girls. Also, a video message from Sonia Omar the CEO of Education for All. See here for a BBC interview with Sonia explaining the situation in this area Morocco earthquake: Villagers' hopes waning in search for survivors - BBC News - YouTube

How can we help?

For Schools and communities raising funds - here is the link to the EFA campaign https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/earthquake-crisis-appeal/. You can share the link and the Facebook page. The campaign placed an immediate short term fund raising goal but the true extent is yet to be assessed. Background information for assemblies and fundraisers can be found on EFA's website: http://www.efamorocco.org/.

In terms of physical help – clearly there will be plenty of ways in which you will be able to help in the coming year and we will be guided by housemothers and local people about what to bring and what is needed.

Read Education For All's press statement: Earthquake strikes at the centre of EFA (PDF)

What about Imlil and Aremd and the Kasbah?

There has been relatively very little damage (some to older buildings – including the oldest original sand and stone part of the Kasbah) we are pleased to tell you the vast majority of those in the Imlil valley, including all cooks, guides and mulateers, all our guests and the whole local Discover team on the ground were unhurt. All survived. All roads to Imlil are open. We will update.