SAP Social Sabbatical Journal #4: Don’t Cut!’ just yet: our Moroccan journey continues
Marhaba everyone!
Here we are again one more time. Week three has passed by without us even realizing it. This week has been calm but also quite reflective. At the beginning of the week, we realized we were already halfway through our #socialsabbatical in #Morocco. While describing the concept of time as highly relative, might sound cliché, I truly mean it.
Time passed in the blink of an eye!
On one hand, for us, Misha, Allen and myself, we’ve been living abroad for a whole month, completely out of our usual environment, and we’re in this little bubble, exploring a new world without our everyday routines. The concept of time takes on a whole new dimension in this context. When we’re fully immersed in our projects and experiences, our focus is firmly on the present. We’re not constantly checking the clock or worrying about what´s next, so our sense of time becomes less rigid.
On the other hand, for our host, Nawal from Seaskin, these weeks must have been a bit overwhelming, with so much happening and, at times, a need to take a moment to reflect and process new ideas, absorb knowledge, and let it sink in. It’s in these pauses that companies can find their breathing space to thrive, fostering sustainable growth within the company.
On Monday, as usual, we met with Nawal in our little “headquarters,” as we like to call it. She always has a small surprise for us, like croissants and pain au chocolat, along with a delicious Nespresso coffee. We will miss these treats so much, Nawal!
Just as a refresher, her company, Seaskin Morocco, is a social business specializing in recycling fish waste to create natural fish leather products, including handmade fashionable accessories branded as “Rhea.” The company employs around 30 individuals, the majority of whom are women from local coastal communities. Her mission is to transform fish waste into leather, luxury goods, and sustainable accessories while empowering women with vocational employment opportunities and preserving Morocco’s traditional arts and heritage.
Transforming the fashion industry into an environmentally and socially responsible landscape
Nawal’s vision is so inspiring, she wants to revolutionize the fashion industry, which is currently one of the most environmentally harmful sectors worldwide, into an environmentally and socially responsible landscape.
Nawal is a powerful woman, an extraordinary person, and she’s highly respected in her industry and by her community. She’s a wife, a new mother, and a businesswoman. She carries a heavy load of responsibilities and made a considerable effort to keep everything in order on her end to dedicate this entire month with us on our common project, which, in turn, will support her in expanding her company beyond.
Following the focus on people — which we did last week — the next step we have examined are the processes. We’ve been identifying the primary processes and discussing them with her to assess whether there’s room for improvement. Our aim has been to ensure that these processes are well-structured, empowering everyone to achieve good results in an efficient way.
Then comes alignment. Once the foundation has been established with the right people and efficient processes, Nawal will make sure everyone is on the same page and working toward the common goals that have been set. As a result, she has initiated several operational changes within her team. This includes introducing regular team meetings, establishing individual goals, and creating a centralized cloud-based platform for easy data access.
And finally, after people and processes are in place and each area is aligned with Seaskin´s and Rhea’s objectives and mission, the path to growth becomes more manageable. An essential element to consider when focusing on growth is maintaining a clear direction. As the company undergoes growth, Nawal is eager to transition into a more CEO-focused role, emphasizing a visionary approach, building upon the visionary role she already embodies.
And we had time to explore Moroccan music.
We always manage to find a little time to discuss Moroccan cultural topics, and this time, our conversation was around Moroccan music. She said that Moroccan music is a fusion of various musical styles, with elements from Spanish, Sub-Saharan, Middle Eastern, and, naturally, the indigenous Amazigh culture. Amazigh music is the oldest musical tradition in Morocco and continues to be a major influence to this day. We had the opportunity to enjoy Amazigh music last week at the Maroc Impact Experience, performed by young musicians, and we were completely fascinated by it.
Another important musical genre here is Andalusian and Sephardic music, which made its way to Morocco following the expulsion of Muslims and Jews from Spain in 1492. In particular one of the leading artists in traditional Andalusian music is Mohamed Bajeddoub.
On Wednesday, we began the process of handing over our project to Nawal. We also had lunch with another team at a Korean restaurant right across from our hotel. Later in the day, we dedicated our afternoon to exploring Les Habous, often referred to as the New Medina. Habous is a picturesque district originally developed during the French protectorate to house families of merchants from various regions of Morocco. Today, it’s a hub for artisans, bookstores, and various shopkeepers. Here, you can find from fresh olives, and poultry to an assortment of spices, imported pottery from Fez and Safi, and beautifully handwoven carpets from tribes across the country. We took the opportunity to do some shopping and enjoyed our time there.
Just like every Wednesday, we gathered for our #Casablanca cohort team meeting. It’s always a great opportunity to get together — as we hardly have time to see each other on a daily basis — hear about the progress and insights from each of the projects and teams. I was pleased to find out that many projects had also begun their handover processes this week and were gearing up for the grand finale. Thank you Narjice and Siham for all your support!
With our social sabbatical project coming to its end, we reserved Thursday for reflection and for the preparation of our final presentation. This provided us with the opportunity to pause, assess our journey, and ensure that our presentation effectively reflects the essence of our work, the positive impact on Seaskin, and the lessons we’ve learned.
And on Friday, we wrapped up the handover and finalized the plans for the final presentation. We coordinated with Pyxera to set an official date for the project presentation to Nawal the following week. We spent the entire morning working alongside Siham and engaged in some intriguing conversations, touching on topics like culture, religion and more.
Marrakech, here we come!
And to conclude the week, what better way than a trip to Marrakech for the weekend? We caught the first train early on Saturday morning, which meant a very early wake-up call. Unlike the high-speed train we took to Tangier, this one was older and slower, giving us a chance to catch some sleep and prepare for our Marrakech adventure. I had already visited Marrakech earlier this year in March, but this city always unveils new places to explore. We wandered through the vibrant souk, toured Medersa Ben Youssef, and explored the Bahia Palace. After a delightful lunch at Le Café des Épices with other team members who arrived on a later train, we did some shopping, visited the Majorelle Gardens and the Yves Saint Laurent Museum, and then made our way back to the train station for the journey back to Casablanca. Despite signs of the earthquake’s impact, Marrakech remains a magical city, still radiating its unique charm, energy, and positivity.
On a personal note, I have been dedicated to nurturing my body, mind, and spirit. I maintain a daily morning workout routine at the hotel gym. Watercolor painting serves as my daily mindfulness practice, and I recently completed the book “Other Stories” by Katherine Mansfield, a British modernist writer of New Zealand origin. This is the first book I have read from her, a compilation of several stories. Katherine’s narratives capture a moment in the lives of a group of people, much like us coming together during this social sabbatical. She attempts to capture a unique dimension where there are no beginnings or endings as such, each ending is just the beginning of something new, like our lives after living such a life-changing experience as this #SAP #socialsabbatical.
Now, it’s time to direct our attention to the last week of our sabbatical and the forthcoming final presentation. We’ve got a meeting scheduled for Wednesday with Nawal from Seaskin, where we’ll walk her through our deliverables. Then, Friday, we’ll reunite with all the other teams and the client organisations for the final presentations.
Let’s go, Week four! Ma’a-s salaama!
