Moroccan humanitarian's 38-year wheelchair mission threatened in the Netherlands
Mohammed Chaoui, founder of the Tangier Wheelchair Foundation, is at risk of pausing his decades-long mission of collecting and sending refurbished wheelchairs to Morocco. The old Ritmeester cigar factory in Veenendaal (Utrecht), which currently serves as his base, is set to be demolished by July 1 to make way for 170 new homes, reports RTV Utrecht.
Since founding the organization in 1986, after meeting a man in Tangier who had never seen a wheelchair, Chaoui has shipped up to 300 wheelchairs and other medical equipment each year to Morocco, including sports wheelchairs for athletes.
The Moroccan-Dutch humanitarian has always operated from buildings awaiting demolition in order to keep costs low. With no income from his work and no affordable alternative yet found, he fears he may be forced to halt operations temporarily. Chaoui has appealed to the municipality of Veenendaal for help but has not yet secured a new location.
«I am now 65 years old, but as long as I am healthy, I want to keep doing this. But I cannot continue without a building. So I'm really hoping someone has space for me in Veenendaal or just outside», he pleaded.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Ya Biladi
3 hours ago
- Ya Biladi
Diaspo #393 : Nisrine Kasbaoui's journey to revive Amazigh heritage through fashion
DR In 2009, Nisrine Kasbaoui, then living in the United States, made a life-changing decision. She didn't return to Morocco for a short family visit or a brief vacation, she came back to reconnect with her roots and identity, and to begin a new chapter that would bring together her Amazigh heritage and her deep passion for fashion. Nisrine grew up navigating two cultures: Moroccan and American. She spent her childhood in Casablanca, but always felt a strong emotional bond with Khemisset, the hometown of her Amazigh ancestors, where traditions still linger vividly in her memory. In 2000, she moved to the U.S. after getting married, continued her studies, and specialized in optics. Yet fashion remained close to her heart, eventually inspiring her to return to Morocco and launch her own business. From Personal Need to Cultural Revival: The Birth of a Project Speaking to Yabiladi, she recalls, «I knew I wasn't just coming back as an expatriate, it was as a woman with a vision and a message». But the road ahead was far from smooth. Back in Morocco, she faced countless administrative hurdles that delayed the launch of her project, while her children's adjustment to their new surroundings required extra care and effort from her as a mother. «Things weren't easy. Getting my project off the ground took a lot of time and energy. And helping my children adapt, both culturally and emotionally, was a challenge in itself», she recalled. Her passion for fashion didn't emerge overnight. It was during her years in the U.S. that she began to notice a gap: she struggled to find clothes that felt elegant, comfortable, and unique, for herself and her daughters. «It started with a personal need. I couldn't find styles that felt right for me, so I decided to design them myself, not only to meet my needs, but also to express myself», she says. The biggest challenge came during the production process. Her designs, which combined Amazigh authenticity with modern aesthetics, required specific craftsmanship that was hard to find in the U.S. As a result, she had to send her prototypes to Morocco and wait for them to be produced, an obstacle that made the early days of her brand especially difficult. Still, Nisrine pressed on. Her love for design and pride in her Amazigh heritage fueled her determination. After completing a course in fashion design, she returned to Morocco and officially launched her own brand, Amazigh Threads. Through it, she set out to bring Amazigh symbols into contemporary fashion while supporting local artisans and preserving traditional craftsmanship. «My designs carry a cultural message. I feel like I'm contributing to preserving heritage and strengthening a sense of identity. I also hope to support local artisans and help keep their work alive». More Than Fashion, A Mission to Honor Ancestral Roots For Nisrine, fashion isn't just about appearance, it's a creative language through which she tells the story of Amazigh culture. By incorporating symbols, patterns, and traditional color palettes into modern silhouettes, she's breathing new life into ancient traditions and making them accessible to a wider audience, both in Morocco and beyond. Her exposure to two cultures, Moroccan and American, has given her a unique perspective as a designer. She blends traditional Moroccan aesthetics with modern sensibilities, giving her brand a signature look. «Going back and forth between Morocco and the U.S. helps me grow my market and build a network in the fashion industry», she explains. To Nisrine, «Amazigh fashion is a vibrant expression of identity in Morocco, and internationally, it's admired as a cultural and artistic symbol that showcases the richness of Moroccan heritage». Her ultimate dream is to take Amazigh Threads global, to create a visual bridge between cultures and generations, weaving together the past and the future, tradition and innovation. Though she didn't grow up in the same Amazigh environment as her ancestors, she feels deeply rooted in it, and her journey remains closely tied to the thread that binds it all together.
Morocco World
4 hours ago
- Morocco World
Moroccan Software Engineer Accuses UN of Whitewashing Genocide
Rabat – Moroccan software engineer and former Microsoft AI employee Ibtihal Aboussad is sounding the alarm about the United Nations' upcoming 'AI for Good' summit, scheduled for July 8–11. Aboussad accuses the UN of whitewashing tech companies' role in enabling Israel's AI-assisted genocide against Palestinians in Gaza by giving them a platform at the summit. 'These companies provide the cloud infrastructure and AI technologies that allow Israel to accelerate its genocide in Gaza and uphold its regime of apartheid against all Palestinians,' said Aboussad, naming Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Oracle, IBM, Cisco, and Palantir as examples of complicit corporations. She warned that unless these technologies are regulated, their weaponization poses a threat to all of humanity, denouncing the UN's collaboration with these firms as 'UNlawful, UNacceptable, and truly UNbelievable.' Backed by the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, No Azure for Apartheid, and millions across the globe, Aboussad is calling for global pressure on the UN and its member states to end partnerships with genocide-enabling tech companies wherever possible, and to formally designate and regulate AI and cloud computing as dual-use technologies subject to international regulation. Dual-use designation would mean recognizing that these tools—often marketed as neutral or humanitarian—can serve both civilian and military purposes, including surveillance, targeting, and warfare, just like nuclear materials or chemical agents. Such a classification would subject them to legal controls, export restrictions, and transparency requirements. 'I'm appalled that the United Nations, which is supposed to uphold international law, is now partnering with corporations that are openly violating it,' Aboussad added, urging summit speakers and supporters to either publicly endorse these demands or withdraw if the UN refuses to meet its legal and ethical responsibilities. This is not the first time Aboussad has made headlines for her outspoken support for Palestine. In April of this year, she was fired by Microsoft after publicly confronting company executives during a live presentation at their Redmond headquarters. Addressing Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman directly, Aboussad declared, 'Mustafa, shame on you. You claim to care about using AI for good, but Microsoft sells AI weapons to the Israeli military. Fifty thousand people have died, and Microsoft powers this genocide in our region.' Microsoft-enabled atrocities Aboussad, who directly witnessed Microsoft AI's provision of tools to the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) and Israeli government to surveil and target Palestinians, called on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to launch an investigation into corporate capture within the UN system and to sever ties with Microsoft's UN Affairs offices in Geneva and New York. 'Let's remind him that Microsoft knowingly provides Israel with customized technology, including AI, that enables its atrocious crimes against Palestinians,' she said. BDS has identified Microsoft as one of the most complicit companies in Israel's apartheid regime and ongoing genocide in Gaza, accusing it of knowingly supplying technologies that facilitate war crimes, crimes against humanity, and grave human rights violations. Microsoft's complicity extends to deep collaborations with the IOF, Israeli ministries, and the Israeli prison system, which is notorious for documented, systematic torture of Palestinian detainees. 'Microsoft has failed its corporate obligation to prevent genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. Its board of directors and executives may face criminal liability for this complicity,' BDS warned, citing the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) legally binding, provisional rulings. Aboussad concluded by reaffirming her belief that AI can be used for the good of humanity—if and only if it is properly regulated and governed by enforceable legal and ethical frameworks that prevent its weaponization. 'Let's regulate AI before it's too late. Palestinians and humanity cannot wait any longer,' she said. The AI for Good Global Summit brands itself as the UN's leading platform in showcasing how artificial intelligence can address pressing global challenges. First held in 2017, it is organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in collaboration with over 40 UN agencies and aims to promote AI applications aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—from healthcare and poverty reduction to climate action and gender equality. This year's program includes the grand finale of the Robotics for Good Youth Challenge, pitch sessions for women entrepreneurs from the Global South, and panels on AI in brain health, including Alzheimer's treatments—noble causes that risk being undermined by the summit's silence and whitewashing of AI's deployment in state violence and genocide.
Morocco World
21 hours ago
- Morocco World
Two Moroccan Banks Make 2025 Forbes Global 2000 List
Doha – Two Moroccan banking giants, Attijariwafa Bank and Banque Centrale Populaire (BCP), have secured positions in the prestigious Forbes Global 2000 ranking of the world's largest publicly traded companies for 2025. Attijariwafa Bank, led by CEO Mohamed El Kettani, ranks 979th globally with impressive financial metrics. The bank reported $4.84 billion in revenue, $956 million in profits, $71.7 billion in assets, and a market capitalization of $14.44 billion. Founded in 1911 and headquartered in Casablanca, Attijariwafa Bank employs over 20,583 people. The bank provides international commercial banking services through various business areas, including domestic banking, Europe and offshore; specialized financial subsidiaries; international retail banking; and insurance and property. BCP, under the leadership of Naziha Belkeziz, placed 1,812th in the global ranking. The bank posted revenues of $3.3 billion, profits of $416 million, assets valued at $53.5 billion, and a market capitalization of $5.97 billion. Established in 1926 with headquarters also in Casablanca, BCP operates as a commercial bank focusing on banking intermediation and management services. The institution employs 2,717 people and was formally incorporated on February 2, 1961. The Forbes Global 2000 list, now in its 23rd edition, evaluates companies based on four equally weighted criteria: revenue, profits, assets, and market value. Africa's representation in the ranking remains limited, with only 17 companies making the cut. South Africa dominates the continental presence with 14 companies, followed by Morocco with two and Egypt with one. Attijariwafa Bank and BCP rank 6th and 16th, respectively, among African entries. The global ranking continues to be topped by American companies, with JPMorgan Chase maintaining its top position for the third consecutive year. The US has 612 companies on the list, while China follows with 317. The top 10 global companies include JPMorgan (USA), Berkshire Hathaway (USA), ICBC (China), Saudi Aramco (Saudi Arabia), Amazon (USA), Bank of America (USA), China Construction Bank (China), Agricultural Bank of China (China), Alphabet (USA), and Microsoft (USA). Collectively, the 2,000 companies in this year's ranking represent $52.9 trillion in annual revenue, $4.9 trillion in profits, $242.2 trillion in assets, and a combined market capitalization of $91.3 trillion. Banking remains the most represented industry in the ranking with 328 institutions. The sector's strong presence is partly attributed to banks' naturally high asset values, with 88 of the top 100 companies by assets being financial institutions. Read also: Morocco's Corporate Dominance: 14 Firms Rule North Africa's Top 20 Tags: Attijariwafa Bank GroupBanque Centrale Populaire (BCP)Forbes
