Morocco's earthquake killed thousands. But survivors marking Ramadan say it didn't shake their faith

AMIZMIZ, Morocco (AP) — An earthquake months ago left parts of her home cracked and crumbling, but Fatima Barri felt wrong spending Islam's holy month of Ramadan in a tent.

Thankful to be spared by the 6.8-magnitude quake that killed thousands around her in Morocco's Atlas Mountains, she stood in her damaged house and cooked the traditional meals to break the daily fasts. It felt safe enough, she said, until a 3.3-magnitude tremor rumbled through two weeks ago.

She was terrified, but stayed.

“It’s my house. I have nowhere else to go,” the 57-year-old mother of three said and shrugged.

Like many of her neighbors, she’s tired of waiting for normal life to resume. For months after the quake killed nearly 3,000 Moroccans in September, Barri stayed in a hot and stuffy government-provided tent.

For Ramadan, she and others honored their traditions amid the rubble, cooking tagine in clay pots and making bread and tea on their stoves. On Wednesday, as Eid al-Fitr began, the holiday mood for many Moroccans vacillated between festiveness and despair.

During the month of reflection, Barri appreciated the family and community gatherings as well as small pleasures like the mint and verbena she replanted in buckets near the debris on her roof.

Her community of Amizmiz is one of the larger towns shaken by the earthquake. Many people who had promised to stay and rebuild such communities have since moved to larger cities.

For Morocco, the task of rebuilding is daunting. The government estimates that more than 300,000 people were affected by the earthquake in Marrakech and the five hardest hit mountain provinces, where more than 4.2 million reside. There are plans to rebuild schools, roads and hospitals and help farmers who lost their herds.

The government has said it is committed to returning people to their homes and hopes the reconstruction will bring new development opportunities to a region that has long lacked the infrastructure of Morocco’s tourist hubs and coastal cities.

But on the ground, there is frustration.

Construction crews working to restore multi-story buildings for community associations are angry that they haven’t received more guidance from the government on how to build for future quakes. Untrained, they are stacking cinderblocks and plaster in the ruins of multi-story buildings.

A month after the disaster, protesters angry at local authorities and suspicious of corruption marched through the town demanding the promised government aid.

At the end of January, a government rebuilding commission said nearly 58,000 families had received monthly stipends of 2,500 dirhams — or $250 — and more than 20,000 households had received an initial installment of reconstruction assistance.

In total, officials have said rebuilding will cost 120 billion dirhams ($12 billion) and take about five years. International aid has been offered, including a $1.3 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund.

In Amizmiz, some residents said they were surviving on the monthly stipends and waiting on a larger sum promised for reconstruction. Many told The Associated Press they had received nothing at all.

Last month, the Moroccan Institute for Policy Analysis published survey data taken from October to December in which only 11% of people directly affected by the earthquake said they had received support from the government.

The most difficult to reach areas have faced more challenges.

In some villages, the government has used sheet metal and concrete to build barracks-style temporary homes. In Amizmiz there are only tents.

The community is proud of coming together to help one another. A community association, Alyatim, hosted nightly dinners serving up to 250 people breaking their Ramadan fasts.

“The help only comes from the associations. No help comes from the government,” said Abdelaziz Smina, a 50-year-old blacksmith.

Smina said local authorities told him that his cracked concrete home — currently held upright by wooden stilts — wasn’t damaged enough to qualify for aid. His neighbors have yet to receive assistance funds to allow them to buy metal doors from him for their own rebuilding.

But Smina and his family have seen Ramadan as a chance to reaffirm their faith in the face of disaster.

“It's all up to God,” he said.

A man drives a motorcycle through rubble left after the earthquake in Amizmiz, near Marrakech, Thursday, April 4, 2024. (AP Photo)

Workers clear the rubble left after the earthquake in Amizmiz, near Marrakech, Thursday, April 4, 2024. (AP Photo)

Khadija, a woman who was displaced by the earthquake stands outside her tend, in Amizmiz, near Marrakech, Thursday, April 4, 2024. (AP Photo)

Allal Oli Lahcen stands inside his tent after he was displaced by the earthquake, in Amizmiz, near Marrakech, Thursday, April 4, 2024. (AP Photo)

A man who has been displaced by the earthquake prepare Iftar to break his Ramadan fast with his family, in Amizmiz, near Marrakech, Thursday, April 4, 2024. (AP Photo)

Allal Oli Lahcen stands outside his tent after he was displaced by the earthquake, Amizmiz, near Marrakech, Thursday, April 4, 2024. (AP Photo)

Boys who have been displaced by the earthquake walk up a hill in their hometown of Amizmiz, near Marrakech, Thursday, April 4, 2024. (AP Photo)

Makeshift homes for people who have been displaced by the earthquake, in Douzrou, near Marrakech, Thursday, April 4, 2024. (AP Photo)

Khadija, a woman was was displaced by the earthquake prepares for Iftar to break her Ramadan fast in her tent, in Amizmiz, near Marrakech, Thursday, April 4, 2024. (AP Photo)

Allal Oli Lahcen stands outside his tent after he was displaced by the earthquake, Amizmiz, near Marrakech, Thursday, April 4, 2024. (AP Photo)

A view of homes which were destroyed by the earthquake in Atlas mountain village of Anerni, near Marrakech, Thursday, April 4, 2024. (AP Photo)

People who have been displaced by the earthquake prepare to host a group Iftar to break their Ramadan fast, in Amizmiz, near Marrakech, Thursday, April 4, 2024. (AP Photo)

People who have been displaced by the earthquake prepare to host a group Iftar to break their Ramadan fast, in Amizmiz, near Marrakech, Thursday, April 4, 2024. (AP Photo)

Fatima Barri, 57, prepares food to break her Ramadan fast in her home which was damaged by the earthquake last year, in Amizmiz, near Marrakech, Thursday, April 4, 2024. (AP Photo)

READING, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 2, 2024--

Keyloop, a global automotive technology company, has today announced the completion of the acquisition of ATG, an innovative provider of automotive technology focused on omnichannel retail solutions. This follows the announcement of entering into a definitive agreement on 10 th April 2024.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240502903241/en/

Keyloop completes the acquisition of Automotive Transformation Group (ATG) (Graphic: Business Wire)

The acquisition is a significant step in accelerating the delivery of Keyloop’s Experience-First blueprint across the lifetime of vehicle ownership, supporting automotive retailers and OEMs in their delivery of exceptional customer experiences.

Tom Kilroy, CEO, Keyloop comments: “Together, Keyloop and ATG combine to create an integrated technology portfolio that more completely connects the entire consumer automotive journey, helping retailers and OEMs improve customer experience via innovative solutions.”

Tim Smith, CEO, ATG comments: “The announcement today is a testament to the inspirational and innovative team at ATG and the vision and commitment from Keyloop. I’m delighted to be joining the Executive Team at Keyloop and look forward to bringing our businesses together over the coming weeks for the benefit of all our customers.”

ATG is being advised by Houlihan Lokey and Taylor Wessing. Keyloop is being advised by King & Spalding and Paul Hastings LLP. ATG management were advised by Momentum Corporate Finance.

Editor’s Note:

About Keyloop:

Keyloop delivers cutting-edge solutions, tailored to the modern needs of auto retailers and OEMs alike. From the showroom to the workshop, and everything in between, its technology facilitates distinctive customer experiences between key systems, tools, and departments. With 40 years of automotive DNA, and a deep understanding of what it takes to drive success, Keyloop solutions are delivered in over 90 countries, and trusted by more than 18,000 retailers and 80 OEMs worldwide. For more information, please visit: www.keyloop.com. Download Keyloop’s latest whitepaper Revolutionising automotive retail through technology.

About Automotive Transformation Group (ATG):

As an innovative provider of retailing software to the automotive sector, Automotive Transformation Group (ATG) exists to make car-buying easy. With 20 years of experience, technology deployed across 80 countries, and over 13 billion digital interactions captured to date, they have developed a deep understanding of car-buying behaviour, which allows them to design consumer-first software for Retailers, OEMs, Financiers and Fleet Suppliers across the globe. For more information, please visit: atg.auto.

Tim Smith, CEO, ATG (Photo: Business Wire)

Tom Kilroy, CEO, Keyloop (Photo: Business Wire)