EarthquakeAn Englishman living in Morocco has been assisting in building temporary shelters for survivors of the September 2023 earthquake, which killed thousands and left many homeless. Steve Sleight, a plumber by profession, has joined relief efforts in the Atlas Mountains. Shortly after, he realized that the temporary tents housing victims and survivors needed reinforcement to withstand the weather conditions. Sleight told the BBC that over the past three months, he volunteered with a temporary shelter-building project, aiming to construct around 800 shelters in 20 villages in the mountains. Utilizing local materials, he opted to cover the outer parts of the tents with tinplate and provide polystyrene insulation that could last up to two years. «It gives people enough time to hopefully start rebuilding their houses», he said. Reflecting on the days following the catastrophe, Sleight remarked, «They live simple lives, but they're very resilient people. They've been through a lot of trauma, which will take them a while to recover from». Sleight relocated to Morocco in 2019 to pursue a career as a mountain guide. He resides in Amizmiz, a small village south of Marrakesh.
