The 6.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Morocco about 50 miles southwest of Marrakesh on September 8, 2023 was the most powerful in the country for many years, and took the populace by complete surprise.
More than 3,000 people are likely to have died since then, and an estimated 6.6 million people have been affected in other ways – for example, losing homes, farms or businesses. Many of these people are in mountainous areas that have become extremely difficult to access after rock and mud slides blocked roads.

ShelterBox deployed a Response Team (SRT) to Marrakesh in the days immediately after the quake, to liaise with local Rotary organizations and the Moroccan government, which is centrally directing the disaster response.

ShelterBox’s intervention provides displaced families with an aid package that includes a tent, thermal blankets, a solar lamp and a kitchen set – immediately providing shelter, warmth and safety.

ShelterBox believes that keeping local families close to their communities has many advantages over evacuation to other areas of the country. These include:

• Families are able to begin reconstructing their homes more quickly;
• Agricultural workers remain close to the farms that provide their income;
• Children will be able to return to their local schools with the minimum of disruption to their education.

Taken together, these benefits promote families’ and communities’ faster self-recovery – allowing them to rebuild their livelihoods while preserving their dignity. In total, ShelterBox is expecting to provide 1,200 aid packages to families in Morocco, of which an estimated 200 are funded by the JTI Foundation.

Key numbers

OVER 20 YEARS OF INVESTMENT IN DISASTER MANAGEMENT INITIATIVES

45

Countries where we have supported our partners’ work in response to a growing range of threats to life and livelihood

50

Million USD invested since 2001 to help communities better prepare for – and recover from – natural and man-made disasters

100

Projects addressing a broad range of challenges, including mine-clearance, emergency shelter, resilient housing solutions and capacity building

Other projects

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The JTI Foundation works with some of the most renowned organizations in the fields of disaster risk management and disaster response. If you think you have a project that meets our criteria, please use this link to complete an application.

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Preparedness

We support measures that increase the preparedness of communities threatened by natural disasters. We assist in project design and implementation and promote risk awareness and community collaboration.

Response

We invest in partnerships that allow us to provide rapid and effective support to victims in the immediate aftermath of disasters, including droughts, earthquakes, floods, famines and armed conflicts.

Resilience

We promote projects that help communities recover from the impact of disasters and strengthen their resilience – rebuilding lives and livelihoods as quickly and sustainably as possible.

About us

Established in 2001, the JTI Foundation is a charitable organization registered under Swiss law and financially endowed by JT International SA.

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