When the Mountains Shook: Our Response to Morocco's Al Haouz Earthquake

September 8th, 2023 - A story of resilience, adaptation, and the power of refusing to give up.

At 11:11 PM on a quiet September evening, families across Morocco's High Atlas Mountains prepare for sleep. The earth beneath them shook with devastating force. A 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck Al Haouz, just 70 kilometres from Marrakech. It took nearly 3,000 lives and left whole communities in ruins.

For the Imazighen - Morocco's indigenous Berber people who call these mountains home - the disaster brought particular devastation. Their traditional clay and mud-brick homes were well-suited to the mountain climate. However, they became death traps when the tremors hit. Conventional brick structures can create life-saving spaces when they fall. Clay buildings crumble, reducing the chances of survival under the rubble.

The Call to Action 

Within hours of the earthquake, Serve On's emergency plans started. Our International Response Team (IRT) members received calls to deploy. They began gathering at headquarters, ready to go to a country not previously on our operational list.

Morocco presented particular problems. Our skilled Command and Support Team (CST) faced the difficult task of preparing for deployment to an unfamiliar region. They needed to handle possible language differences and work with authorities in a country where we had no established presence. We knew that local services might be overwhelmed. We prepared to operate independently if needed.

Building Bridges When None Were There 

Good fortune came from preparation. One of our CST members used his previous work with Morocco’s investment banks to connect with the Moroccan Ambassador in London, the British Ambassador in Casablanca, and, most importantly, the British Moroccan Society (BMS). Through these relationships, we arranged for Arabic, Berber, and French translators to meet our team at the airport. We also secured Army trucks and helicopters to transport our personnel to the earthquake's epicentre.

Everything was ready. Our team was prepared. The need was urgent.

Then came the problem that would shape our response.

When Plans Change, Purpose Remains 

Like many nations facing natural disasters, the Moroccan government chose to show self-sufficiency. They limited international aid organisations' access to the affected areas, allowing only a select few government teams to enter. Our IRT deployment was stopped.

For many organisations, this would have been the end. But at Serve On, we do not believe in endings—only new beginnings.

Finding Another Way to Serve 

Our Command and Support Team recognised that, although we could not send our rescue specialists, we could still make a significant difference.

Local charities and small groups struggled to coordinate aid distribution across the vast, mountainous area. These organisations—many with backgrounds in cultural programmes, women's training, or biodiversity work—found themselves in disaster response roles for which they were not originally set up.

Our solution was simple and groundbreaking: a full mapping and coordination system. It would change how aid reached those who needed it most.

The Impact of Innovation 

Working with Ella Williams, then the British Moroccan Society's Earthquake Relief Programme Coordinator, we provided an app that Serve On had been working with. It solved one of disaster response's most constant problems: coordination.

"One of the main problems we faced at the start of the response period was a lack of coordination of aid distribution between different organisations," Williams recalls. "This led to aid being sent twice, while other villages received no aid."

Our mapping system became the foundation of the relief effort. It tracked and coordinated the work of 18 organisations across the affected region. The results show the power of working together:

• 1,665 aid drops recorded and coordinated 

• 839 affected villages reached and mapped

• 182 aid distributions made directly by our partner organisations

• 110 remote villages received essential supplies, many reached only on foot

  
  

The system monitored everything from food parcels and fresh vegetables to emergency shelter, water filters, and winter supplies. Most importantly, it ensured no village was overlooked. It also prevented duplicated aid efforts.

The Difference We Made

 Ella noted: "Without international aid teams present to coordinate aid efforts or provide disaster mapping tools, the system offered by Serve On was the only tool we had on the ground to coordinate and work together effectively."

Our team worked hard, logging daily aid distributions. They ensured that help reached even the most remote communities—villages high in the Atlas Mountains, accessible only by treacherous mountain paths.

The Serve On Spirit – When Doors Close, We Open Windows

The Morocco earthquake response shows everything Serve On stands for. When routine deployment was not possible, we found another way to serve. When rescue operations were limited, we focused on coordination and support. When the doors closed, we opened the windows.

We did not just adapt to the situation—we changed it. Our new approach not only solved a problem, but it also created a model for future disaster responses in complex political situations.

Never Giving Up

Morocco taught us that our mission extends well beyond search and rescue operations. Sometimes, the most effective way to save lives is to ensure that help reaches those who need it most, at the exact moment they need it, without unnecessary delays or duplication.

The families in those 110 remote villages—the children who received warm blankets, the elderly who received essential medicines, and the communities that received clean water filters—demonstrate the true measure of our success. Not because we were physically on the ground pulling people from rubble, but because we refused to accept "no" as a final answer.

This is the Serve On spirit: adaptable, creative, and steadfast in our dedication to helping others. When the usual route is blocked, we find an alternative. When the mountains tremble, we stand firm. When others say it cannot be achieved, we prove them wrong.

Because at Serve On, we never miss a chance to help.