British Muslim charities rally to deliver aid to the affected regions of the devastating Moroccan earthquake
In the aftermath of the 6.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Morocco on Friday, 8 September, at 10 PM GMT, several UK-based charities have launched emergency appeals to provide aid to those affected.
The disaster, with its epicenter in the High Atlas Mountains, around 44 miles south-west of Marrakech, has reportedly claimed more than 2,400 lives and left over 380,000 people affected, according to the World Health Organisation.
Souad Talsi MBE, founder of Al-Hasaniya, a charity that partners with local charities in Morocco to support women and children, has confirmed that schools have been destroyed in the disaster. Al-Hasaniya, along with other charities such as Islamic Relief, Human Appeal, CARE International, Abdullah Aid, British Red Cross, Action Aid, and Oxfam, have launched emergency appeals for the earthquake in Morocco.
The Moroccan Children's Trust, a UK-based charity, is providing social and welfare care for children in Taroudant, a city in the Sous Valley affected by the earthquake. They have raised £4,000 so far.
Local charities and community groups in London, such as the British Moroccan Society (BMS), have organized urgent appeals to raise money for Morocco. The BMS has identified villages in critical need of supplies, including Imlil, Mouldikht, and Tazalt in the Atlas Mountains, and has launched an online appeal to raise emergency relief funds. As of writing, they have raised £62,000.
Ms. Talsi also mentioned that there is a high rate of diabetes in Morocco and people in rural areas will need medical support.
Action For Humanity, although primarily focused on crises in Syria and Gaza, is a UK-based charity that specializes in emergency aid. They may extend or coordinate responses to disasters like the Morocco earthquake. Save the Children, an established international NGO with a strong UK base, often responds to global crises and their ongoing projects could include work in Morocco.
The Moroccan government has accepted aid from the UK, Spain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. However, it has not accepted any new aid from these countries as of now.
While some UK charities may still be organizing their response or awaiting donor engagement to initiate programs, directly reaching out to known emergency relief charities or monitoring their communications is advisable to get the most up-to-date information.
Politics and general news outlets may report on the ongoing disaster relief efforts in Morocco following the 6.8-magnitude earthquake, with various UK-based charities, such as Al-Hasaniya, Islamic Relief, Human Appeal, CARE International, Abdullah Aid, British Red Cross, Action Aid, Oxfam, and The Moroccan Children's Trust, launching emergency appeals to support those affected. The efforts of these organizations may involve providing aid, social and welfare care, and medical support for the affected communities, including villages in critical need of supplies in the Atlas Mountains. It is also possible that global organizations, such as Save the Children and Action For Humanity, may extend their emergency aid programs to respond to the disaster in Morocco.
