Flatweave

Rouna Ouaari

Rouna was born in Ait Chaa Ouali, but moved away from her home village when she got married. She lost her husband in 2009 to cancer. Together they had four daughters and four sons, two of their daughters are now married and moved to their husbands’ villages. Another daughter is pursuing her high school studies in the nearby small city of Tounfite. Her last daughter is teaching at the local association’s kindergarten. All of her sons travel around to the big cities in Morocco doing construction work. Rouna specializes in weaving pile knot rugs, which she learned from her mum and other local women. She joined Association Zaouia when it opened three years ago, but they have not had enough sales to allow her to earn a sustainable income. She wishes that her daughter will become a teacher and have a nice family of her own in a bigger city with better opportunities. If she can afford it, she would also like to do her pilgrimage to Mecca.

Meryam Achaoui

Meryam is from Zaouia. She had a limited education growing up. She left school, like most girls in her village, because there was no secondary school close by. She was able to learn how to weave at home as a child. She enjoys making rugs and Handira. She joined Association Zaouia in 2012, as a way to earn an income. She hopes to be able to support her mother's Hajj to Mecca.