Local businesses are among the sectors most affected by natural disasters. Imad, a young pottery trader in Asni, located 50 km south of Marrakech, had the bitter experience of this during the recent Al Haouz earthquake. His shop was devastated and his goods were smashed to pieces.
Imad was in possession of 60,000 dirhams worth of goods, but now there is little left of what he had worked so hard to build. Even the few objects that miraculously survived the earthquake became unsaleable, completely broken or damaged. This is a real blow for Imad whose income supported his family of seven.
Despite his own losses, Imad found the strength to help his stricken neighbors. He decided to give the few pieces of pottery he had left to the rescue teams who passed his shop. Thus, these objects could be used to cook meals for people affected by the disaster.
However, the future remains uncertain for Imad. He doesn’t know when and how he will be able to recover from this ordeal. Government aid is expected, but it will probably be necessary to wait a month or even two before being able to benefit from their support. In the meantime, Imad sleeps in a makeshift shelter, made a few meters from his shop, because his house below threatens to collapse at any moment.
The Moroccan government was quick to react to the disaster. On Wednesday, September 20, he announced a substantial budget of nearly 11 billion euros intended for reconstruction, rehousing and socio-economic aid for the area affected by the earthquake. This financial support is essential to enable local traders like Imad to get back on their feet and rebuild their business.
Faced with this tragic situation, it is essential to support local merchants who are the true economic pillars of their community. If you want to contribute to their recovery, you can make donations or buy their products to help them rebuild and regain some financial stability.
In conclusion, the Al Haouz earthquake had disastrous consequences on local businesses. Imad, a young pottery trader, lost his shop and a large part of his goods. Despite everything, he remains combative and is determined to help his stricken neighbors. He is impatiently awaiting government aid to be able to rebuild and resume his activity. It is essential to support these local merchants in order to help them get back on their feet and contribute to the recovery of the local economy.