Birmingham charity workers have described the dignity and resilience shown by survivors of the Morocco earthquake as they look to rebuild their lives.More than 2,800 people were killed and entire villages reduced to rubble in the 6.8 magnitude earthquake, the largest to hit the north African nation, earlier this month.
Less than 48 hours after the catastrophe struck, a team from Islamic Help flew to Morocco to begin emergency aid operations which it is still continuing.The charity, which has its headquarters in Balsall Heath, has been distributing emergency provisions to stricken villagers. It is now preparing to set up a ‘tent village’ to help hundreds of displaced families whose homes were destroyed in the disaster.
Nazim Tasadiq, the charity’s director of International Programmes and Partnerships said: “As a lot of the people we’re seeing have been left homeless, we’re doing all we can to distribute food, hygiene kits, blankets, clothing to help them during this extremely difficult period. “Our work has been in rural areas where entire villages have been destroyed. We’re now preparing to set up a ‘tent city’ so families have shelter with cooking and other facilities as they wait to have their homes rebuilt.”
Donor care manager Yaseen Sheikh said that the scenes of devastation were heartbreaking. “We were helping people who had nothing but the clothes they were wearing, who had lost their entire families and whose homes were nothing but rubble. “What was astounding was their resilience and the dignity they displayed in the face of such a calamity.
“Despite having nothing except the clothes they were wearing, some of them were even apologising to us, saying ‘we’re sorry you’ve had to come here’. “Some of the families still had bits of their homes standing but the buildings were severely damaged. So, they had this dilemma of whether to move back in or sleep outside, and most of them chose to sleep in the open because of the risks of the buildings collapsing on them.”
The charity is rotating its staff presence, with other staff members flying out to Morocco this week. Yaseen added: “What has been really uplifting is the way everyone has come together to help the people of Morocco, especially donors in Birmingham and the UK who have been supporting the emergency relief efforts. We cannot thank them enough.”
Anyone wishing to donate to the emergency appeal can do so at www.islamichelp.org.uk
