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Life in the countryside of Morocco can be hard and women in particular find it difficult to find paid work locally. Having learnt about various community projects based around the conservation of the argan tree, a tree unique to Morocco and essential to the rural economy, we have decided to support some of these projects by donating £1 per person for each passenger booking a Simpson’s Morocco holiday. One of these projects is based at the following centre outside Taroudannt.
The Bab el Oued Centre - near Taroudannt
Set up by Ruth Hajioff a UK based qualified herbalist and acupuncturist, this centre supports the local Berber women, who traditionally press the argan oil, by paying them a working wage and offering them educational training and literacy programmes. Her philosophy of “... working with the people for the people” has captivated the attention of Simpson Travel, and a £1 donation per Moroccan passenge will be donated to the Bab el Oued centre.
Kasbah Samra
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Set high up in the Atlas Mountains close to Jbel Toubkal (the highest peak in North Africa), is charming Kasbah Samra, a small ‘maison d’hote’ and an ideal retreat for walkers and nature lovers. This project was started by Jacqueline Brandt, an energetic Swiss lady, who bought the dilapidated Kasbah and rebuilt it in the traditional way from pisé mud bricks with the help of 30 local Berber families.
Kasbah Samra’s philosophy encapsulates everything that is associated with “respectful tourism”, employing local people in the maintenance and running of the guesthouse and re-investing the money earned back into the local community.
The nearest grocer is a 45 minutes' walk away, so a small shop is being built and there are plans to build a pharmacy and a small school.
We have put together a special holiday, where you can combine a stay in Kasbah Samra and some gentle Atlas trekking, with a stay in a riad in the Medina of Marrakech.
Click here for accommodation details on Kasbah Samra - Tamartet, near Imlil
Some facts about Argan oil
- Argan oil as a food has twice the vitamin E content of olive oil, and is 80% unsaturated and rich in essential fatty acids, like Omega 9 and 6.
- Argan oil acts as a powerful antioxidant, which helps protect against free radical damage to the skin, reducing wrinkles and improving elasticity, and is traditionally used externally to treat acne, scars, eczema, psoriasis and chicken pox.
- Orally consumed, it helps to lower cholesterol, preventing blocked arteries, to protect the liver and gall bladder and to reduce rheumatic or arthritic joint pain.
- Berber women attribute their good health and longevity to the golden argan which they apply to both their skin and hair.
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