Professionalizing a Network to Include the Poor in Morocco’s Slum Eradication Effort
When it comes to addressing the challenges of communities living in slums, Morocco undoubtedly stands out. In 2004, its government launched the USD 2.9 billion program Villes sans Bidonvilles (Cities without Slums, or VSB), one of the world’s most ambitious slum eradication initiatives. The following year, Morocco unveiled the USD 2 billion Initiative Nationale pour le Développement Humain (National Initiative for Human Development, or INDH), which complements VSB’s efforts through investments in basic services, infrastructure, employment opportunities, education and health. Insufficient community participation, however, originally jeopardized the programs. To address this problem, Urbis strengthened the Réseau Associatif de Solidarité Sociale (Collaborative Network of Associations for Social Solidarity, or RASS), helping it become the first viable institution to serve as an interlocutor for the Government of Morocco and direct beneficiaries of VSB and INDH in Casablanca.
Initially, these poverty reduction programs were characterized by top-down decisions, with little focus on informing, or including the poor in the planning or execution of operations. In the case of VSB, the government often did not sufficiently plan access to essential services or consider the disruption of beneficiaries’ economic activities by new housing locations. With INDH, the poor’s lack of information, combined with a relatively weak civil society sector, limited their capacity to access funding for income generating projects. Authorities repeatedly stated they would welcome effective intermediaries between the government and the population. Associations representing slum dwellers, however, lacked the organizational, planning, fundraising and advocacy skills necessary to effectively represent the poor.
DIG thus partnered with RASS, a pro-poor network comprised of twenty organizations. RASS improves social services in poor neighborhoods, assists programs that combat unsanitary housing, and strengthens the decision-making capacity and impact of local actors, including vulnerable populations.
Results: Urbis training helped unify and professionalize RASS’ leadership. For the first time, the network designed a results-oriented project with a pre-defined, realistic timeframe and budget. RASS, in turn, created and/or strengthened nine politically-neutral associations in seven slums, enhancing the voice and credibility of civil society at the community and local government levels. RASS fostered this empowerment through tailored training on the identification and prioritization of community needs, project design, advocacy, and information and tools to tap VSB and INDH funding.
Thanks to RASS’ support, unprecedented official communication channels were set up between the poor and the government. This resulted in advocacy efforts of slum dweller associations being effective for the first time. Local authorities increased the supply of potable water, improved public lighting and regularly collected waste for 400 slum dwellers in Zouaghat. In Lalla Regraga, the association’s demands led local officials to collect waste and build a road to reduce the isolation of 6,000 slum dwellers. In Riad Salam, where 5,500 poor people reside, local officials will finance the construction of a social and sports center. The governor of Mohammedia also agreed to fund eight income generating projects designed by slum dwellers with the associations’ support. These projects are expected to: create 130 jobs for slum dwellers and indirectly benefit their 645 family members; and generate USD 327,000 in net annual income.
In November 2011, the Prefecture of Mohammedia hired RASS to train organizations in “social accompaniment” to help implement projects focused on sanitary housing for the poor. Through its achievements, RASS successfully positioned itself as the interface between the government and VSB and INDH beneficiaries. Its work under Urbis clearly resulted in authorities listening to the poor and directly responding to their needs.
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