TRANSMAROCAINE 2012 - 7th edition
Giving Back to Morocco
Anne-Marie Dunhill / 15.03.2011
The Transmarocaine is more then simply a popular adventure race. At its inception, the organizers instigated a humanitarian project, which continues today. During the race there are six teams which will be competing in the OCP Company Challenge. Each team has chosen an association to support here in Morocco and part of their registration fee goes into a general pot for a total of 60,00 Dirhams. This money will be divided up between the top five teams, with the first team winning 20,000 Dirhams for the association they are racing for.
TNT Maroc will be racing for Leilha’s Life Line, which helps to train cardiac specialists and also finances open heart surgery in Europe for children. Teams Cap Gemini 1 and 2 will be competing for Dar Al Atfal Bernoussi, which is a full board pension for 300 young men, providing housing, education and job training.
ISSAF Mondial Assistance will be racing for Les Bonnes Oeuvres du Coeur which is a non-profit organization that also finances heart surgery for children. OCP 1 with Ahmed Berrichi and Said Bourtbhirt will be supporting a co-operative of olive growers and finally OCP 2 will be hoping to raise funds for the Ezzaouiya primary school in the province of Ouarzazate.
Outside of the OCP Challenge participating teams are also invited to contribute and with the support of TNT Morocco 350 kilos of supplies have been shipped to be distributed on the different race stages. As well, 16 bikes will be given to a school in the Ouarzazate province to enable children who live far away to attend school more easily.
Bérnénice Bres and Virginie Hernandez of the French female team Les Roses des Sables (Desert Roses) arrived a week early to work on a public health project. Part of the work back home involves working with school aged children on all aspects of health, including dental health. With the help of their sponsor who provided kits of toothpaste and toothbrushes, they gave a brief talk and demonstration to over 180 eight year olds in a primary school and distributed their kits.
Part of the philosophy of the race founders is to give back to the country in which the race takes place, not merely to consume, and with the wide range of projects in place they are meeting their goal. See All Event Posts
