| Administrative History | Allocations 1960-1993; programme spending in 1993/94, 1994/95; see later annual reports for any subsequent allocations.
Morocco became an independent sovereign state in 1956. In February 1960 much damage and loss of life was caused by the Agadir earthquake.
After the earthquake in 1960, Save the Children (SCF) sent a relief team to Morocco. SCF staff took charge of some children from an orphanage in Agadir who need to be transported to Rabat. Drugs and medical supplies were provided in the area. The Fund took responsibility for nurseries for children in the survivors tented camps at Inezgane. Treatment huts for babies suffering the ill effects of dehydration in packed tents were also available. At the same time, searching for long-term projects, the Fund prepared to set up a project in Fez for some of the children harmed by polluted cooking oil. This event had taken place in 1959 and had caused many disabilities. Feeding centres were set up for earthquake refugees and an orphanage at Taroudant assisted. Money was provided to provide concrete floors to rebuilt houses. In 1962, training was being provided at Agadir for widows with children; the clothes they were trained to make would be sold to the government to raise funds for children in need in Morocco. School feeding continued. Earthquake relief work was handed over. The Fez disability project began to concentrate on children who had had polio. The SCF Pavillion des Enfants was inaugurated in June 1961, run under the supervision of WHO. SCF nursery groups and youth groups were also involved. Moroccan staff were being trained with a view to taking over. In co-operation with the FAO, SCF looked at assisting a project in the Riff mountains north of Fez. A local SCF committee was formed. SCF gave aid in 1963 following floods in January and February. At Fes, schemes were being planned to train Moroccans in the education and training of disabled children. By 1965 work was being concentrated on long-term aid to disabled young people, and as a result the blind boys' home at Taroudant was taken over by SCF. A day nursery for children whose mothers were in hospital was opened at Inezgane in NOvember 1965. The school feeding scheme was running at Agadir, Taroudant, and Tiznit. A Freedom from Hunger campaign project was begun to provide water for local villages. At Fez, an orthopaedic workshop was producing materials for disabled children. SCF was also asked to administer a rehabilitation centre at Casablanca. Inoculation, medical aid and distribution of food, clothing and toys were also carried out. Summer camps and seaside trips were provided for disabled children. In 1968 the school feeding programme was extended to Fez. By 1969, Freedom from Hunger irrigation schemes had been set up at Taguint, Tagmoute, Bounamane, and Tiliouine. The Inezgane nursery was rehoused at Agadir and became also a centre for training. Children partly bedridden with tuberculosis were being taught handicrafts at Inezgane hospital. In 1972 a National Centre for Physically Handicapped Children was set up in partnership with the government at Casablanca, and the Fez project was transferred to a farm near Khemisset. By 1974 much of the work of the Fund was being handed over the the government. SCF remained in charge of the Taroudant project, the Khemisset project (now a boarding school) and the Casablanca project (now a day school). In April 1977 the residential nursery in Agadir was taken over. by 1980 the Taroudant home was handed over. The Casablanca centre was handed over in 1983, although financial support continued until 1986. The orthopaedic workshops continued under SCF adminstration. A community-based rehabilitation programme was set up in 1987.
In 1991, SCF was running programmes at:
Marrakesh: orthopaedic workshop, 'Re-education centre', and community based rehabilitation (CBR)
Casablanca: orthopaedic workshop, sponsorship
Khemisset: orthopaedic workshop, residential primary school, sponsorship, and CBR.
The residential primary school at Khemisset, the Ecole Ibn Al Baitar was handed over to the government in 1993. Programmes after this date focussed on community based rehabilitation (CBR), including at Marrakesh, Khemisset, and Oujda/Nador. |