ASSOCIATION ZAOUIA
Sew, embroider and weave with the women of Association Zaouia in Sidi Yahya Ou Youssef. 80% of what you pay goes straight to the cooperative.
ABOUT THE ARTISANS
Association Zaouia was started by the women of Ssi Youssef in November 2011 to lift up women in the community. Local artisans teach sewing, embroidery and weaving so that women can earn their own income, and the association also runs health classes and hosts a primary school.
Getting there: Sidi Yahya Ou Youssef is about four hours from Fez by road. You can add transport when you book.
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COMMON QUESTIONS
Anything not covered here? Write to us at hello@theanou.com
Once you book, you’ll receive GPS coordinates and step-by-step directions to a meeting point. The artisans will be there at the time you chose. If you asked us to arrange transport, your driver details come in the same email.
Some groups have English speakers; most speak Tashelhit, Arabic and sometimes French. An interpreter is never required to have a wonderful visit, but it makes the conversation much richer — you can add one at step 04.
No car is needed — every location is reachable by public transport, though a car makes it easier. You are responsible for getting yourself to the meeting point, but we can arrange a driver from the nearest city at step 05, or recommend a trusted guide or tour operator if you’d rather not travel alone.
It’s recommended if you’re travelling on your own. We’ll send you contact details for both the artisans and the Anou team, so if anything comes up along the way we can help.
80% goes to the cooperative’s own budget, spent however the artisans decide. 20% goes to Anou to train more groups to host visits. The artisans set their own visit prices.
Nothing about the visit changes — only how you pay. USD takes you straight to a secure card checkout (Stripe) and confirms instantly. MAD sends you an invoice you can pay by Moroccan card through YouCanPay or by bank transfer; the visit is confirmed once that payment clears. Choose MAD if you’re in Morocco or your bank charges you for dollar transactions.
Yes. Write to us at hello@theanou.com before you book and we’ll help you plan the itinerary and sort out the details.
We can’t refund a scheduled visit, because the artisans prepare well in advance. You can change your arrival time freely; changing the date costs $10 USD, which goes entirely to the artisans.
