🌱 About Khadija Elharim & Tifawin
Born in 1953 in Ammeln Valley near Tafraout, Khadija Elharim has been a pillar of change in her Amazigh community. In 1997, after a conflict over goats eating women’s argan crops, she co-founded Tifawin—the “Association for Social Support and Preservation of the Argan Tree and Environment.” Soon after, she launched Cooperative Tifawin, becoming the first woman in the region to lead such an initiative .
🎯 Mission & Activities
- Agricultural empowerment: Women cultivate argan, olives, cereals, and later, planted over 2,000 fruit trees via cooperative nurseries ().
- Argan oil production: They process argan nuts into culinary and cosmetic oils, soaps, and wellness products.
- Skills training: The cooperative runs literacy courses, leather embroidery workshops, and cooking classes for traditional jams ().
🤝 Community Impact
- Economic autonomy: Enables women to legally defend crop rights, gain income, and build financial agency.
- Social transformation: Before, women staying home or going to the souk was frowned upon. Today, they operate independently and proudly .
- Environmental stewardship: Focused reforestation and nurturing argan groves increase local biodiversity.
🛍️ Support & Partnerships
- Institutional backing: Ministry of Agriculture, provincial agriculture office, and INDH provided equipment for processing and packaging .
- Collaborations: International and local NGOs helped with space, training, and agricultural expertise.
💬 Words from Khadija
“We organized because we realized that alone we were vulnerable. Together, we defend our rights, grow our crops, and shape our destiny.” — Khadija Elharim
🌍 Why Tifawin Matters
- It stands as a milestone for rural women’s leadership in southern Morocco.
- It blends tradition (argan production, jams, embroidery) with modern skills and organizational structure.
- Its growth signals that social justice, economic resilience, and environmental care can thrive hand in hand.
