The Modern Nomad from the Sahara Desert

Dear Friends,

Imagine growing up in the Sahara Desert in Morocco in a nomadic family of 12 and having the dream one day of going to University and starting your own travel business. Mokhtar accomplished these two goals. As his business grew, he eventually bought a 2- acre property near Marrakech that would be his “Little Sahara” in Marrakech. The property was purchased to offer tourists an authentic experience in Morocco where they could experience a “farm to table” lunch, ride camels, play with the goats/sheep, or even stay overnight under the stars with a close-up view of the Atlas Mountains

His goal halted when Covid devastated Morocco for two-plus years, restricting tourists from traveling there. His travel business had been thriving until February 2020, and then suddenly, Covid arrived. With architectural plans to build a house including three guest rooms for tourists, all came to a halt. In the meantime, during Covid restrictions, Mokhtar was able to plant over 500 trees and create a fantastic garden while using borrowed water and even sharing electricity from a neighbor. Nevertheless, despite a two-year drought, water is desperately needed to keep everything growing.

The solution to having his water access was to drill a well. A project to drill a well was recently started with help of private money, including money from a client and my husband and I. However, this was not enough to complete the well. Funds are also needed desperately to secure solar panels that will provide electricity for the water well pump. Additional funds will be required to get the entire property on the electrical grid for extra power. Mokhtar’s dream will not be realized until there is clean drinking water, water to irrigate the trees/plants and electricity, both solar and on the grid. Once the funds have been raised to accomplish these goals, Mokhtar can start building his house with tourist guest rooms and add glamping tents to realize his dream of a "little Sahara in Marrakech."

As a tour operator, you may wonder why I feel compelled to help someone in Morocco with his dream. I have known Mokhtar and his brother for over four years. Their company provided the guides and experiences for my tour groups. Many clients told me afterward that the tour was a life-changing experience partly because of Moktar’s hospitality, constant attention to detail, and true love of pleasing his guests. One client recently said when we visited the property in September 2022 after a 10-day tour, “sometimes people who have a vision just need an extra helping hand to accomplish it.” I agree with this observation from my client and hope all of you do, too, by contributing.

To be transparent, once we raise at least half of our goal, the money will be withdrawn from my account and sent to Morocco via bank wire. Mokhtar will be able to pay his vendors for their work.