Enjoy Sahara
Agnese's project
Hi Agnese, welcome to Easy Travel Hosting! Enjoy Sahara, a project you conceived and developed together with Said and Lapo. Could you tell us about it?
Thank you for giving me this opportunity, I'm very happy to be here.
Enjoy Sahara was born from my need to maintain an umbilical cord with Morocco. In fact, after a first trip, which occurred following a long painful and unhappy period for me, I felt the call and the need to intertwine my life with Morocco. That first trip was inexplicably magical for me, I forgave myself, found myself and rediscovered myself.
I had the enlightenment and awareness of wanting to create a creature of my own, that the famous permanent job is not for me and I am deeply convinced that Morocco is able to bring out the best version of myself. It is my place in the world, the desert is the place that allows me to lay myself bare, as if I saw myself in a mirror and showed me who I really am, with strengths and weaknesses, the true essence of myself, without filters.
Said, on the other hand, is my trusted collaborator, he was born into a nomadic family, he then moved to Merzouga, a village on the outskirts of the Sahara, where our base is also located. After finishing school, he began working in tourism, becoming passionate about this job, also telling his story and making available the great knowledge he has of his country.
Enjoy Sahara wouldn't exist if it weren't for one of us, we are complementary.
The tours you offer are fabulous, which is your favorite and why?
Thank you! Our tours can be reviewed and scheduled according to each client's needs and desires. You can decide together the duration, the itinerary and even the type of accommodation.
My favorite tour is without a doubt the one that starts from Marrakech and arrives in Merzouga, passing through the High Atlas. As I often say, for me that road has an extraordinary power, it contains the deepest soul of this country.
We go from the beautiful frenzy of a city like Marrakech, to Berber villages and Kasbahs perched in the red earth. There is a variety of incredible landscapes, with shades of colors of rare beauty. To then arrive in the Erg-Chebbi desert, part of the Sahara, which is made of sand and rock, inhabited almost exclusively by Berbers, some of them still nomads.
The Berbers are the indigenous people of Morocco, before the arrival of the Arabs. They are an extraordinary people, extremely generous and welcoming, but also strong and rooted in their traditions.
Covid has put all tourism-related activities to the test. What is your experience, how did you react and how do you see the future?
Covid blocked us completely, we managed to handle it for a year, but now it's starting to be really hard, especially in a country where subsidies haven't arrived.
I have seen many young people leave, in the hope of finding a better future, following dangerous and difficult roads. We are trying not to lose hope and have worked hard to be able to start again in the best possible way. I also wanted to add to our project two experiences that we could do in our village, in Merzouga: the cooking classes and the henna tattoo. They are both two activities that in the center they see the woman. In fact, both will be managed by two women from the village, with our presence.
On the one hand I tried to ensure that the traveler had the possibility of also coming into contact with the female figure, as it is not always easy and then I wanted to give them the possibility of having a small economic independence.
Precisely following this thought during the lockdown, while I was in Merzouga, I created a small collection of three traditional Berber products with the precious help of these women. It was much appreciated, so I'm also starting a small e-commerce to sell these products and more.
Why did you decide to open your own business instead of choosing an employee job, and would you advise another woman, at a time like this, to make such a leap?
I believe that each of us should be free to choose, without getting stuck in patterns that society imposes on us.
For many years I felt at fault, wrong, stuck, like a fish out of water because I couldn't want a permanent job and an indefinite period of time, just the thought took away my breath.
When I understood and accepted that I wanted to have my own business, that I wanted to be my own boss, that on some days I would work 14 hours and on some days 0, it changed my life. I also believe that we shouldn't be paralyzed by the fear of change, it's right to dialogue with fear, because it's normal for it to exist.
I have adopted this technique: I think about what scares me the most and if this thing happens what could be plan B, my parachute, at that point I jump.
However, we must launch ourselves, because the perfect moment doesn't exist most of the time and I believe that even in moments of great difficulty the solution can be found, we have more strength than we believe.
As you know, Easy Travel Hosting uses renewable and eco-sustainable energy to power its servers. Furthermore, a tree is planted for each new hosting, actively helping reforestation and the absorption of CO2. What do you think of this project and in general, do you think it is important to seek a more sustainable lifestyle?
Absolutely, great idea! Now, this is something that terrifies me, the idea that mankind is destroying our beautiful planet makes me feel helpless.
However, there is a however, with my daily actions I can slow down this process and if we all commit to doing a little, perhaps there is still hope, or if nothing else it is the only way to make us less responsible for what is happening.
I believe that everyone can start from something, even if small.
For example, in my village, especially a little outside, there is a problem with waste disposal and some products, such as sanitary pads, are not always available. So I switched to the washable cup and panties.
When I go I stock up on solid products from Italy. Being in the desert, I also realized how many superfluous things I had and therefore I'm not buying practically anything new anymore, unless it's really necessary.
Before making a new purchase I ask myself if I really need it.
Then, when I go shopping, I try to bring my cloth bag with me, to avoid plastic bags.
One thing I still have to work on however is the use of bottled water, at home we use well water, but unfortunately, it is not yet safe for me to drink it and so for now the compromise is the use of large bottles of water.
Thanks for having me, I'll be waiting for you all in the desert!
Easy Travel Hosting thanks Agnese very much for taking part in our interview for the column dedicated to Small Business for Women.
If you want more information, you can follow her on her website by clicking here.
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