'My heart is there:' Milwaukee Moroccans urge community to help after devastating earthquake Friday kills thousands

’My heart is there: ’ Milwaukee Moroccans urge community to help after devastating earthquake Friday kills thousands
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MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- More than 2,100 people are confirmed dead and others are still lost or missing in Morocco, after a 6.8 magnitude earthquake rocked the country on Friday night -- and those numbers are expected to continue rising.

For some here in Milwaukee around 4,300 miles away from the epicenter, the tragedy hits close to home.

"The first thing when I heard that, I think about my family," said Waukesha resident Abdelilah Bousaid, who moved from Morocco to the states about 10 years ago. "I am here, but my heart is in Morocco."

Bousaid told CBS 58's Ellie Nakamoto-White that the majority of his family still lives in the country, notably his sister and younger niece and nephew -- both of whom were in Marrakech when the quake hit.

“They told me it was very scary like they felt the earthquake three times. He told me he was thinking about nothing except his sister," Bousaid said.

Thankfully, he's been able to be in touch with his relatives who are all physically okay, with his nephew even sharing video of the aftermath and the hundreds forced out onto the streets.

And their story is just one of thousands.

“People there, locals there, need help now," said Kenza El Abdallaoui, a Milwaukee resident whose extended family lives in Fes -- a northeastern city in Morocco. 

El Abdallaoui had learned about the disaster from a friend who had texted, asking if her family was okay.

"I texted my family right away, my uncles and my grandfather and I didn’t get a response from them for a few hours," El Abdallaoui said, noting that the state of unknown was "eerie."

Her family is also physically safe, but notes the destruction is heartbreaking. 

“When you think of how old of a country Morocco is and how many buildings that showcase the many different cultures and communities that have existed in Morocco for so long, when you see those things being destroyed it’s really tragic," El Abdallaoui said. “People are still pulling individuals from the rubble, and I mean I think people are just in a state of shock right now."

Both agreed that Moroccans are "incredibly hospitable" and "resilient" folk.

“Morocco is one of the most visited countries in North Africa but it’s not just that," El Abdallaoui said. "If you’ve ever had the privilege of going to Morocco, I don’t think there’s any reason why you can’t either donate or share resources in order to assist Moroccans on the ground.”

Bousaid noted he wants the Moroccan government "to be responsible and to stand up" for those in need.

“It’ll take a really long time for them to bounce back from something like this," El Abdallaoui said.

If you want to donate, El Abdallaoui recommends focusing on local grassroots community-led non-governmental organizations, as they are already assisting Moroccans, and those affected in remote, mountainous villages who don't have access to basic needs and power.

Those include:

  • Amis Des Ecoles
  • El Baraka Angels
  • Association AME
  • GoFundMe SOS d'Enfants Village Maroc
  • Banque Alimentaire
  • Insaf
  • AFCD Foundation
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