Earlier in the year, Mad To Live announced our support of the phenomenal not-for-profit organisation Amsmoom, based in our Mad To Live Retreats Morocco home of Banana Village. Amsmoon (http://amsmoon.com) is a non-profit makers collective that provides essential workshops to local youth to enable them to reach their potential. In doing so it also helps elevate their community, many of whom live below the poverty line. Amsmoon’s activities on their Women's Program address the needs of local young girls, enabling them to enjoy the benefits of physical activity, nature and creative workshops which have included skateboarding classes, hikes, fitness classes, surfing, English classes and more.

Right now, the local community of Banana Village is in desperate, desperate need of help. Mad To Live have enjoyed so many meaningful adventures and connections with the fantastic and colourful local community that make up Banana Village, who honestly make the Mad to Live Retreats the magic they are. This fundraiser is about the fantastic locals we are lucky to not just work with, but who share the magic of their country with us.

The COVID-19 pandemic has hugely impacted Banana Village. Families are starving, and I want to rally the Mad To Live community to step in and support the town we love so much. This fundraiser as outlined below is to support 3-fold: raising money for food baskets for families, covering the rent of the Amsmoon’s Youth Centre for a year, and to help one of their very sick girls access treatment.

If you’ve been touched by the magic of Morocco, I am asking you heart to heart to join us in this fundraiser <3

Why Banana Village Needs Your Help !

More than 19% of Moroccans live on less than $4 a day, and Aourir (aka Banana Village) in particular has high levels of poverty. Morocco took swift and severe actions to curb the spread of COVID-19, putting a lockdown into effect mid-March through June. Most of the residents of Banana Village were forced to go without work and without pay for those three months, and now the area is hugely impacted by the loss of tourism. Banana Villagers currently do not have food, rent, medicine and other basic daily needs.

Where Your Help Will Go

With so much pressing need, Mad to Live has chosen three main areas we know are crucial to Banana Village’s well-being.:

1. Food Baskets - Our target is to distribute at least food baskets to 100 families, worth $90 each. A local organisation who already does this exact work every winter will help with organizing and distributing.

2. Support Youth Development - Amsmoon, the youth center we love and support in Banana Village, needs help to continue doing their good work. We want to help them cover their rent for a year so they can stop worrying about daily operations and just focus on helping the youth of Banana Village.

3. Give Back to A Great Giver - A beloved youth leader in Banana Village (President of a local NGO) is undergoing dialysis treatment. Her family is unable to afford her medical costs, we need to help cover those and provide tactile support to her family.