Supporting relief efforts in Morocco
Following the devastating earthquake that hit Morocco on 8 September, Virgin Unite has been working to support relief efforts in the High Atlas Mountains where both the Eve Branson Foundation (EBF) and Virgin Limited Edition’s property Kasbah Tamadot are located.
Through its Emergency Appeal fund, Virgin Unite is supporting the Eve Branson Foundation Earthquake Relief Fund to activate a co-ordinated response to support the local community where it is needed most.
The epicentre of the earthquake occurred very close to the villages that surround Kasbah Tamadot, greatly impacting local communities that form such an integral part of the Kasbah Tamadot and EBF family. Despite many of them having lost their homes themselves, the EBF and Kasbah Tamadot teams have already been working tirelessly to deliver essential supplies to these communities. Donations to the Earthquake Response Fund are being used to help meet the immediate needs of families in the area and to provide urgent supplies such as food, clean water, medicine and shelter. In time, the fund will transition to focus on recovery efforts in the community to restore damaged homes, rebuild infrastructure and more.
The Humanitarian Openstreetmap Team (which Virgin Unite is proud to support through the Audacious Project) is working to map remote areas of Morocco that are currently unmapped so first responders and relief agencies can reach rural populations. Anyone anywhere in the world can join the mapping effort to help aid reach those in need quicker.
How to donate
If you would like to make a donation to the Eve Branson Foundation Earthquake Response Fund, you can do so via the EBF Global Giving page. 100% of funds raised will go towards ensuring access to clean water, providing essential supplies, emergency shelter and meeting any other needs of communities affected by the earthquake. In the long term, the fund will aid in the rebuilding of housing for hundreds of families, the stabilising of public infrastructure and the restoration of cultural tourism programmes that are so key to the livelihoods of the Berber communities.
In addition, Virgin Red members can use Virgin Points to donate to Virgin Unite, which will go towards the Emergency Appeal fund and be used to support the earthquake response. Members can choose to donate a minimum of 1,000 Virgin Points to the charity, which will be converted into a cash donation and then matched by Virgin Red until 13 October.