Portraits of Tadla Azilal

Casa Technique
by Ibtissam

I have been cleaning the roads everyday for seven years. I came here from Bzou years ago when I made my ID. Since that day, I have never been back to Bzou. I used to help my father farm there, but after a while, my parents joined me here. When I was 19 years old, I got my ID and decided to look for work. I started as a waiter, then I worked with masons. It was hard for me because I was still a young boy. One day, I heard people talking about applying for the military, so I decided to apply. I went to the army barrack, and was surprised to find hundreds of other applicants. But it was clear there was favoritism. I saw many hands extended over my head passing small pieces of paper. At that moment, I realized what was going on, and my feelings were wounded to the extent that I cried. I decided to go and protest at the Province. At first, they would not let me see the captain in charge, but after I insisted, he agreed to meet me. I started complaining about what happened at the barrack, and was overwhelmed with emotion. When I finished talking, the captain reassured me and promised to help me at the next recruitment. When that day came, I travelled at night to a far mountain where people apply for the military. I still remember that I had to spend the night in the forest until daybreak. When I arrived at the recruitment place, a second shock was waiting for me. We were just three people from my region but we were all rejected. I looked desperately for the captain who had promised to help, and luckily, I found him in the middle of a crowd. He was friendly and made some negotiations on my behalf. Finally, I was accepted and was sent to Asfi for one year of training, and was then appointed to Casablanca with the modest salary of 800 DH per month. My rented room cost 500 DH, which left 300 for food. I could not endure the situation, so I resigned.

Again I worked in construction, carrying heavy sacks of sand up stairs. I still have shoulder and back ached because of that. One day, a sanitation company came to town looking to hire people, but nobody wanted to do such work. They came to me and asked, "Do you want to work with us? You will be paid every week." I said, yes, why not? So I signed a six-month contract to work, and after the contract expired, they told me I had been selected with six other persons to be permanent employees of Casa Technique. As a result, we had a raise and other advantages such as social insurance. Now I am pleased with my work which helps me raise my three children.