Supporting Entrepreneurs in Demnate

Originally a women’s developmental association, the members of Taslit Nourtane decided to establish a cooperative in 2019 to further their work. Although the women of the cooperative worked hard, they faced financial challenges and were forced to pause operations when their headquarters became too expensive. When the High Atlas Foundation’s Women’s Empowerment and Farmer to Farmer program came to Demnate, the women gathered for literacy classes and technical training. 

Initially, shared Naima Ettijani, president of the cooperative, many of the women were hesitant to talk about their personal challenges and dreams. After the program, Naima noticed a marked difference in the ways women related to each other through sharing their struggles and their goals. The programs also sparked their interest in learning and studying, motivating them to engage in workshops on e-marketing, soap-making, oil extraction, and medicinal and aromatic herbs processing from F2F volunteers to aid their product development efforts.

Today, Taslit Nourtane is a thriving cosmetic and spice producer processing and promoting locally-grown aromatic and medicinal herbs. The cooperative has stable, sustainable income with plans for increasing their labor force and opening new branches locally and internationally. Naima shares her expertise with women in other cooperatives, equipping them with skills and offering encouragement to persevere.