Children of the Sahara Foundation

Sahara Children has collaborated with Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine in Chicago and Mugamara Viajes Expediciones y Trekking of Madrid, Spain to provide funding for a new mission designed to put up a movable summer school and offer healthcare instruction and medical supplies to groups of nomad families in the High Atlas mountains in Morocco.

Since 2008, Alberto Arias of Mugamara has initiated a series of projects seeking to assist nomads living in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco. That same year, Mugamara helped install a school tent for the nomad children to use during their summer months spent in the Upper M’goun Valley. In 2009, an improved school tent was installed at the same location and used as a temporary medical clinic for the nomad children and their families. June 2010 marked the third re-installation of the school and second medical visit.

This initial account of the June 2010 project comes from John Walker from Austin, Texas who represented the Children of the Sahara Foundation on the trip. A full report of the mission will be available later in 2010.

Eight medical students from Loyola met in Marrakech on June 14 with the team from Mugamara including a Moroccan nurse and a pharmacist plus guides and translators to set up a five-day camp in the Upper M’goun Valley of the High Atlas. The total team of approximately fifteen which also included Peace Corps volunteers and a journalist, journeyed for three days from Marrakech with supplies in tow through mountains and rugged desert terrain to reach their destination in Oulilimt.

The guides and volunteers were instrumental in befriending the nomads while the team worked on setting up separate medical and school tents and constructing the latrine. Word spread quickly throughout the region bringing nomad families as far away as a nine-hour walk to the destination. The nomads arrived at the site the next day for the medical drive. The nurse, pharmacist and medical students examined those who requested services in a temporary clinic tent and other medical students and Peace Corps volunteers held focus groups with women regarding hygiene issues and distributed around 20 hygiene and 30 birthing kits. Data collected through a survey and though the focus groups are being analyzed. The medical component was organized by Nisse Clark, a 3rd year medical student at Loyola.

Around 70 nomads benefited from the effort. Another 30 nomads who could not travel to the location were visited by medical students and volunteers at their homes. The mission’s success was achieved by leveraging the varied skills of the group: local culture and schooling knowledge, medical background, language ability (Arabic and Berber), logistical and construction techniques.

The nomads who spend much of the winter months at different locations at lower altitudes in the mountains generally spend the summers in this area of the High Atlas. Because the children are not able to take full advantage of the school during the rest of the year, Mugamara in cooperation with a local association and school teachers has set up a summer school at the Oulilimt location for the past few years. The school tent–-and separate tent for teacher Brahim-–will remain until the summer school session is completed in the fall. Another tent was constructed to house a basic latrine and shower.

To learn more about previous Mugamara projects in the area please visit their website

Campsite in Oulillimt (June 20, 2010)

Tent designated for focus groups with women (June 19, 2010)

Latrine and shower base (June 20, 2010)

Latrine and shower tent (June 20, 2010)

Winding down the day at the campsite (June 19, 2010)

Campsite in Oulillimt (June 20, 2010)

Photos by John Walker