Marjana Cooperative: Turning Community Challenges into Opportunities — Women Transforming Cooperativism in Morocco
20 Feb 2026
What began in 2005 as a small initiative to extract argan oil and support education has grown into a thriving cooperative of over fifty women who have transformed their livelihoods and their community through collective action, innovation, and cooperative values.
The Marjana Cooperative was founded in Essaouira, Morocco, in 2005. The idea was born from the president of the Parents’ Association at El Harrartha School, who noticed that many families struggled to pay the modest annual school membership fee. To find a sustainable solution, he proposed to a group of local women the creation of a cooperative for the extraction of argan oil. This initiative would enable the mothers to generate income and ensure their children’s continued schooling. On March 12, 2005, the general assembly was held, and with 25 pioneering women, Marjana Cooperative began its journey.
The cooperative started under difficult conditions. One of the main obstacles was marketing—reaching customers beyond the local area proved very challenging. With no prior business experience, the women faced uncertainty in positioning their product in competitive markets. What made the difference was their perseverance. The members engaged in a continuous search for clients, worked tirelessly to ensure consistent quality, and gradually diversified and improved their products. This commitment allowed them to build a reputation for authenticity and seriousness, which eventually attracted loyal customers.
Two decades later, the cooperative has grown to 56 active women members and proudly holds the ONSSA food safety certification, reinforcing its credibility and professionalism. Yet, new challenges persist: the scarcity of raw argan nuts threatens production capacity, putting pressure on the sustainability of their activity. Despite this, the women remain committed to innovation and resilience, exploring ways to secure sustainable sourcing while protecting ancestral know-how.
The cooperative has transformed not only the economic situation of its members but also their role in society. Many women entered the world of entrepreneurship and decision-making for the first time through Marjana. This empowerment has given them stable income, self-confidence, and the ability to contribute to both family welfare and community development. Their story illustrates how a cooperative can be a driver of gender equality, social progress, and rural economic development, today the cooperative is a living example of Women Transforming Cooperativism, by turning a community challenge into an opportunity, the women of Marjana Cooperative demonstrate how collective action, rooted in tradition yet open to innovation, can achieve lasting change.
This is an initiative of the Gender Equality Committee of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), developed within the framework of the ICA Action Plan 2025.
The campaign highlights real stories of women who, through their cooperatives, are driving economic, social, and community transformation in their territories. During the month of February 2026 and up to 8 March –International Women’s Day– representative stories from around the world will be shared on ICA’s official website and social media channels.
Aligned with the International Year of Cooperatives 2025, this initiative celebrates the leadership and contributions of women who are building a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable cooperative movement.
💜 If you have a story and would like to share it, please write to us at gec@ica.coop.
