Rabat – Founder of The Eve Branson Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides young people in the Atlas Mountains with artisanal skills, has died of COVID-19.
Eve’s son Richard Branson, who is also the founder of Virgin Group, announced his mother’s death on January 10. In his announcement, Branson said that while facing COVID-19, Eve Branson “held on for one last victory, managing to fight off the virus, but had expended all of her energy in the process.”
Eve Branson founded her non-profit organization in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains in 2005. The mission of the organization is to provide young people with artisanal skill training to preserve traditional Moroccan crafts and secure local families’ livelihoods.
The philanthropist explained that her love for Morocco “and the wonderful people that inhabit it” dates back to the 1990’s. She fell in love with the Atlas Mountains when accompanying her son during his attempt at a global hot-air balloon trip. While exploring the mountains, she insisted on buying Kasbah Tamadot and set about investing in the region.
“Tansghart” was the first craft house launched by the foundation. It was established to train young women who had dropped out of school. At present, the non-profit runs three craft centers in the area, mainly investing in the production and sale of artisan goods.
Eve Branson had stated the goal of the non-profit is to bring about both social and economic transformations by successfully combining the modern entrepreneurial spirit with Amazigh culture.
“Rather than mourn her loss, I want to celebrate her wonderful life, her tremendous spirit, the joy she brought to so many, and the love she gave us all,” Richard Branson wrote.
Eve Branson lived a remarkable life, added her son. She took glider lessons disguised as a boy, enlisted in the Women’s Royal Naval Service during World War II, toured Germany as a ballet dancer after the war, acted on the West End stage, and worked as an air hostess on the British South American Airways routes.
