Marrakech Artisans need your help

Help us provide immediate financial and food assistance to artisans in Morocco who have been adversely affected by the Covid-19 lockdown. Morocco's borders closed in Mid-March and remain closed, completely cutting off the flow of tourism that supports the traditional artisan community in Marrakech.

Artisans bring beauty to the world

The artisans of Morocco pour their hearts and souls into their crafts, passed down for generations. Their work is featured everywhere, Instagram interior design feeds are full of Moroccan rugs, leather poufs, or brass lamps. Behind each beautiful item, there is a human story, an artisan whose life's work this is. 

Covid has wiped out the artisan market

Morocco when into strict lockdown to curb the Covid pandemic in mid-March, which lasted over 3 months. With borders closed, the tourists who flooded the city of Marrakesh are gone. Many artisans are truly struggling with putting food on the table and paying rent. And things will remain uncertain for quite a while.

Send some love and show there is light at the end of the tunnel

Obviously, it would be great to help these artisans re-tool and be able to market their goods online and ship them internationally at fair prices. But this is a huge endeavor that we are not equipped to carry out in the short-term. What we would love to do is provide each artisan with a small infusion of cash to help with immediate needs, be it food, rent, medicine... We want to show artisans that the work they do in creating beautiful, handmade items is of utmost value. We want to show them that even though the tourists are gone for now, we have not forgotten them. Help us to help artisans get through this time of crisis now to keep their craft alive for the future.

$10 Gift for Giving~15-page Marrakech Coloring Book download courtesy of Maroc Mama in Marrakech.

$25 Gift for Giving~Islamic Geometry digital art print to download by Stref Design

*print up to size 11" x 14.5"

$50 Gift for Giving~6 PDF Recipe Cards from Amal Center for Women Cooking School 

$75 Gift for Giving~4 downloadable prints of original art by Marrakech Medina Artist Mortaje

* print sizes 8" x 10"

$100 Gift for Giving~Download Art Print from original mixed media art by Marrakech Henna Art Cafe

*maximum print size 11"x15"

$250 Gift for Giving~ALL the digital downloads from the previous 5 Giving Levels

$1000 Gift for Giving~5-night stay for 2 at Riad Maison 28 in Marrakech, Medina Food Tour, + Cooking Classes at Amal Center for Women Cooking School 

*dates TBD, subject to availability and travel conditions

How your donation will be used to help Marrakech Artisans

We have compiled a list of 100 artisans who have been hit badly by the crisis, their crafts include leather, brass, slippers, carpets and more. We selected and vetted those who do not have reserves to live on until the craft sector picks up again. Most have a family to provide for. Although there has been government assistance, many artisans are struggling to meet their needs in terms of food, medicine and rent. Through this campaign, we would like to give each artisan a minimum one-time cash gift of 100-250 dollars to help them through these tough times. It is our way of thanking them for the noble craft they embody and helping to preserve their continued future. 

Who are we?

Heart-isan is a group of 4 Moroccan and American women who live and work in Marrakech: Nora Fitzgerald (founder of Non-Profit Amal Women's Training Center), Melanie Royals (Maison 28), Amanda Mouttaki (MarocMama), and Hadia Temli (Galerie SINIYA28).

Together, we see the need for both short and long-term financial assistance for the the Marrakech Artisans who create the traditional handcrafts that Morocco is famous for. Currently, the majority of their work and income source have come to a grinding halt. The future looks uncertain, but it's certainly precarious. 

We created this fundraiser as a means to raise awareness and appreciation of the importance of the crafts they create and the issues they face.

Administratively, your tax-deductable donation will be received by Global Pearls and sent weekly via wire to Marrakech. Here the money will be distributed accordingly with administrative help from the Amal Women's Training Center, who are vetting recipients and will manage distribution of funds. 

Copyright information for digital downloads: 

Any artwork or printed material  you will receive as a thank you gift for your donation remains the intellectual property of the original creator. You are permitted to print each file one time only for your personal use. 

**You will receive an email separate from your donation receipt with a link to the digital download(s) and/or further information as applicable within 24-48 hours. **