Earthquake in Morocco. A Lozéro-Aveyron humanitarian convoy left for the High Atlas this Tuesday
Three trucks from the Emmaus community of Rodez and a utility vehicle from the center of Millau took to the road this Tuesday, September 19, to transport 80 m3 of donations for the victims of the earthquake in the High Atlas. The result of a tremendous surge of solidarity between Lozère and Aveyron.
Véronique Magnaux does not let go of her phone on Tuesday, September 19, when two drivers are missing. A small increase in stress for the dynamic responsible for the Emmaüs community in Rodez, who was already running in all directions. It must be said that its three trucks, filled with donations for the High Atlas, this region of Morocco affected by a terrible earthquake of magnitude 7 on the night of September 8 to 9, must hit the road in a few dozen minutes.
Finally, after a final call, Lahcen El-Jid, who arrives from Toulouse, enters the association’s courtyard. The other driver will be picked up in Millau. The Ruthenian team of six people is complete. All that is missing is the last utility vehicle from the center of Millau, which the first vehicles will reach in the Aveyron sub-prefecture.
This expedition, little sister to the one already organized in March 2022 in favor of Ukrainian refugees on the road to exile, is the result of a tremendous outpouring of generosity between Aveyron and Lozère. The Rodez mosque as well as the Espace Sousse store in Onet-le-Château, the Halles du Gévaudan in Marvejols with the help of the municipality, the Association of Muslim worship of Mende always with the support of the City, the SSR les Tilleuls de Marvejols, Ephad la Villa Saint-Jean de Chirac and, of course, the Emmaüs centers in Aveyron, all joined forces so that 80 m3 of donations could be transported to southern Morocco.
Check all donations, essential before leaving
The volunteers and employees of the two Emmaüs centers in Rodez and Millau carried out an enormous amount of work before loading the trucks. “On Saturday, we received a 19 ton and two utility vehicles from Lozère, explains Hervé Durand, the Millavois president. We took everything out of the pallets, sorted everything, checked everything.” Véronique Magnaux agrees: “Even when it is offered, everything must be controlled. The dignity of the beneficiaries is at stake. There, for example, we received medicines which had expired for three years. Small jars for children too. We must do extremely careful.”
“We will stop first in Marrakech, confides Hervé Durand, president of Emmaüs Millau, and Véronique Magnaux, Or We were asked for medical equipment. Then, we will go to Argana, between Marrakech and Agadir, where we will be welcomed by the City. And we will adapt to the reality on the ground.”
In this small rural commune of 4,800 souls in the Souss-Massa region, known for Argan oil, Lahcen Amrouch, the mayor and former deputy of the kingdom from 2011 to 2016 (Istiqlal party), is waiting for them. ).
The councilor, also president of the Maison du Miel Argana association, regularly collaborates with Asif, a young organization based in Millau, which works to develop this part of Morocco. “We have already sent a school bus there, confides Lahcen El-Jid, himself a member of Asif and relative of Lahcen Amrouch. We also have plans to build wells in this region which is increasingly lacking water.”
A journey of some 2,300 km
Various donations will be unloaded in Argana and Marrakech: food, medical equipment (wheelchairs, crutches, antiseptics, crepe strips, survival blankets, infusers, etc.), clothing, etc.
But first, humanitarian workers from Aveyron and Lozère will have to cross the entire south of France, Spain to Algeciras, the Strait of Gibraltar and a large part of Morocco, starting from Tangier. And, above all, validate their passage through customs. If everything goes as planned, they should be in the Red City this Wednesday, September 20, in the evening, after a journey of some 2,300 km.
