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Marrakech – Hind Laidi, president of Jood humanitarian association founded in 2015, has spoken out against the ongoing confusion between her organization and a similarly named foundation affiliated with the National Rally of Independents (RNI) party led by Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch.
The controversy revolves around what Laidi characterizes as deliberate misuse of her charity’s identity for political purposes. She never anticipated that her association’s name would shift from a symbol of humanitarian giving into a source of troubles and misunderstandings for the public.
In a video shared yesterday, Laidi clarifies that her organization was not established to serve political agendas or exploit the suffering of the poor. “We have no political affiliation, and I don’t believe in the effectiveness of party politics in Morocco. We raise only one slogan: God, Nation, King,” she notes.
The situation worsened significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Laidi, authorities depended on her association to distribute food aid using a precise system based on official stamped lists that guaranteed transparency.
However, the surprise came quickly when another foundation with the same name emerged, using similar mechanisms but in an electoral context.
This sparked considerable confusion, with some citizens discovering themselves suddenly enrolled in the RNI party without their knowledge, simply because they had received food aid through “Ramadan baskets.” This overlap obscured the distinction between the charitable “Jood Association” and the party-affiliated “Jood Foundation.”
The misunderstanding extended to media platforms and social networks. Articles and videos – including a clip from journalist Taoufik Bouachrine – directly connected the association with the political party, using images of the charitable Jood Association’s activities.
Laidi issued formal warnings without results
Laidi reports sending formal warnings to the party’s foundation demanding a name change, but to no avail. Consequently, the association’s Facebook and Instagram pages were flooded with negative comments and accusations, while many volunteers found themselves subject to attacks and doubts about their independence and credibility.
Laidi personally contacted officials and visited the official office of the other organization, asking they cease misusing her association’s name. Despite these violations, she has not pursued legal action.
Most troubling to Laidi is that after Akhannouch assumed leadership of the government, alongside Abdellatif Ouahbi – who had ranked among the strongest critics of the “Jood Foundation” – taking over the Justice Ministry portfolio, the climate of trust has become almost non-existent.
The Jood Association president declines to have her work and her organization’s image used as fuel for electoral campaigns. She maintains that exploiting charitable work for political purposes undermines citizens’ trust in solidarity and reduces it to a cheap electoral card.
Founded in September 2015, Jood began as a grassroots movement providing hot meals to homeless people during nighttime outreach efforts.
The organization transformed in 2016 to become an independent non-profit association supported by individual donors and institutional sponsors. Initially launched in Casablanca, Jood expanded to create branches in Marrakech, El Jadida, Rabat, Tangier, and Essaouira.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jood mobilized effectively, delivering assistance to 13,455 families and supporting 14 temporary confinement centers throughout Morocco.
In 2021, in recognition of its persistent efforts against precariousness, the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH) designated Jood as the lead network association for “Beggars and Vagrants.”
Following the devastating Al Haouz earthquake, Jood intensified its efforts to deliver vital support to displaced persons, offering safe shelter, food assistance, and essential services. The organization continues its humanitarian mission despite the ongoing identity conflict with the politically-affiliated foundation.
