The drama of migration is today, in almost all countries, one of the greatest social challenges of our time. We, as Franciscan religious men and women and lay people, cannot remain indifferent. Many place themselves at the service of migrants in order to accompany them on their journey toward a more dignified life.
In Morocco, since 2022, service to migrants has intensified at the Parish of the Holy Martyrs of Marrakech, under the responsibility of the Franciscan friars, making it possible to welcome between 20 and 30 transit migrants, mostly undocumented Sub-Saharan Africans, on their journey northward through Morocco toward the border with Spain.
In Marrakech, the friars, the sisters, and some lay volunteers provide their service by offering a space of coexistence and safety for migrants, along with some basic humanitarian services, such as medical care, hygiene, clothing, and food.
The challenge of caring for the health of migrants is manifested mainly in the difficulty of accessing the country’s public health services or in finding the means to ensure access to medicines and the treatment of their wounds, often caused by the daily violence to which they are subjected.
There is also the challenge of providing migrants, beyond humanitarian aid, with services that enable them to achieve their own autonomy. This possibility becomes viable through collaboration and coordination with local associations, through courses that promote professional training and human development.
Fabio Lamour
