The cooperatives we work with were established and made up mostly by women who were attending a literacy class back then. Years later, it has grown into this huge cooperatives whose sole purpose is to provide a livelihood for local Berbers so the women will also be able to support their family financially. It is a huge change from the usually male-dominated Berber culture and community. The women do everything by hand especially when it comes to Argan oil – from collecting the raw materials to the transporting and to the pressing. They are also given free reins to the administration of the cooperative. With the money they earn, these women are able to send their kids to school. It also empowered them in such a way that they are no longer financially dependent to their husband. Additionally, these women are also given the opportunity to educate themselves – having literacy centers put up that they can attend. These women now also have access to health care training where they can learn the various ways to enter the health care field. This gives them so many options when it comes to a potential career or a new line of work. It’s a far cry from the usual cleaning jobs they are offered when they go to the city. The empowerment doesn’t just end there. Once shy and reserved, Moroccan and Berber women have begun coming out of their shells. They have gained the confidence they need to interact with various people. Many women have confessed to gaining a feeling of self-worth. Their newfound position in their community has given them a sense of well-being that cannot be easily taken away.

Working with these women may have been a lifesaver not just for women who are in dire need of a skin or hair boost but also for the local Berber and Moroccan women who mine them.