Support High Atlas community earthquake resilience

Efforts continue at Lalla Aouda Saadia high school to create and maintain a positive educational environment for the girls studying at the school. Collaboration is a crucial factor in making this happen. Last year, a plastic greenhouse intended to be a nursery for herbs was set up at the school, donated and installed by the Norsys Foundation. Students and teachers of Lalla Aouda participated in the weeding and cleaning of this plastic greenhouse in December 2011, which was supervised by GDF. Weeding and cleaning work in other areas of the school were conducted as well, including the first parcel of the school rehabilitated by GDF, a piece of land within the school grounds reserved for composting, and the infirmary that will temporarily house some forty girls from the boarding school pending the completion of the redevelopment of the boarding house where the girls usually stay. Garden rehabilitation efforts have not been without obstacles. The electric pump used for the well of the school broke down, a cause of major concern since the water from the well depended on to irrigate the green spaces of the school. In December 2011, a specialist was brought in by the high school to repair the pump.

Commitment towards the garden rehabilitation programme continues. During a visit on 10 December, a meeting was held between the director of the high school, some teachers, a representative of the association of parents and the director of the Global Diversity Foundation, Gary Martin. It was during this meeting that the decision to proceed with the rehabilitation of the central courtyard of the school was made, which is to commence soon.

Collaboration with external parties continued on 5 December when a visit was conducted by the headmaster of the school, the president of the association of parents, and a representative from GDF to one of the companies responsible for cleaning and transporting garbage in the city to discuss the possibility of donations to the school in the form of plastic bags, and to engage workers of the National Promotion to be involved in the school’s cleaning activities. As a result, the garbage and cleaning company donated two plastic bins to Aouda Saadia, and a dozen workers worked in the high school on 10 December in cleanup activities.

Commitment to ensure that the environment at Lalla Aouda Saadia is maintained and remains conducive for students’ learning and well-being is enabled through the generous support of project donors, to whom we are extremely grateful.