When Fatima Haddash was young, her family picked up from the southern village of Tinghir and moved to Oued Ifrane. Despite her distant roots, everyone in her village now affectionately knows her as ‘mama.’ Fatima knows how to make all the types of carpets that Association Nahda creates. With every carpet she sells, she hopes to use the money to invest it in the future of her eight children and many more grandchildren.
Naima Mehboub was born just a few kilometers outside of Oued Ifrane. She is married to a day laborer who works in agriculture and construction. Naima and her husband currently have three boys and one girl. Many women in the village know her as a fun person and super easy going – characteristics of a great weaving partner. Naima is currently studying basic math, reading and writing at classes provided by a local association.
Fadma Mehboub was born just outside of Oued Ifrane and lives independently in the village. She is currently studying basic math and writing at classes provided by the local association. Fadma knows how to make all the kinds of carpets Association Nahda produces and plans to use any income generated from her carpet sales to support herself.
Hafida Mehboub is known by the members of Association Nahda as a talented, hard working, and motivated weaver. Though she never attended school as a girl, her driven personality has landed her in math and literacy classes provided by a local association. She plans on investing the money she earns from Anou in her children.
Fatima was born in Oued Ifrane and has lived in the village for most of her life. Despite the passing of her husband, she has survived and thrived because of her warm personality and incredibly positive outlook on life. Fatima is an integral member of Association Nahda because she is not only willing to try new things, but she is also willing to teach what she has learned to the other members.
Born in 1980 in Kasr Moui, in the region of Errachidia (28km away from Goulmima). Hanan Sadaoui moved from her hometown to Khemisset with her family and learned how to weave from her mother. When she got married, Hanan moved with her husband to his village (Oued Ifrane) where she joined the association he founded for the local weavers. Hanan is the proud mother of two, a boy and a girl and she hopes to develop her weaving skills and help her husband in developing opportunities for their local communities.
El Kibera Tahiri was born in Oued Ifrane and runs a small store that sells clothing to local villagers. El Kibera joined the association in 2012 and specializes in all the products that the association makes. She hopes that through her sales on Anou, she’ll earn enough money to organize a Moroccan craft fair in New York. In the future, she wants to become fluent in both French and English.
Sadia is a native of Oued Ifrane and has lived in the village her entire life. She is married to a butcher and has two young boys. She has been involved with the association since 2011 and knows how to make each type of carpet the association produces. With the money she earns for her sales, she wants to invest it in her family and perhaps build a house for her family.
Fatima Hajou was born in Errachidia and moved to Oued Ifrane when her parents moved to the village for work. She never formally attended school but is a regular at a local association’s math and literacy classes. She has been involved with the association since 2011 and specializes in the btaniya and tazrbit carpets. Fatima is married and has two children, whom she hopes she’ll be able to support with the income she makes from her sales.
Aicha Mehdoui was born in Oued Ifrane and specializes in all the products that the association produces. She hopes to use her income with the sales to build a new house in the village.
Beni Ourain style rugs are pile knot rugs intricately designed and are used as two sided rugs in Oued Ifrane. There is the summer side, when the pile side is placed face down on the ground to keep things cooler. During the winter, the pile side is placed up to keep things warmer. You can find these carpets with natural wool from the local sheep or cotton yarn bought from the village market. Depending on the size of the rug, it can take weeks to create. Each knot needs to be individually tied and cut, so one person is only able to create a meter in two weeks.
Moroccan artisans are paid a meagre 4% of an average sale online or in local markets.
But with your help we can change that!
Every product on Anou is priced by artisans themselves and Anou shows
exactly where your money goes. When buying handmade Moroccan crafts always ask for pricing breakdowns from sellers.
Reduce the shipping cost to as low as 4% with our beta economy options or grouped shipping discounts built right into your cart. Click the cart in the top right to learn more.
