The Joudour Sahara Music Program in the small town of M’hamid el Ghizlane in southeastern Morocco serves as the only access point locally for youth to express themselves creatively. Joudour Sahara focuses on traditional music and dance from several diverse ethnic tribal groups who settled in the oasis of M’hamid from different corners of the Sahara desert centuries ago. The program also engages youth through blues music, dance, and community events. Joudour Sahara reaches 100 youth per week.
In November 2021, Joudour Sahara and partners Aziza Chaouni Projects and Sahara Roots Foundation were awarded the Holcim Global Prize for Sustainable Construction, the world’s most prestigious award for sustainable design and construction. The zero-cement Joudour Sahara Center for Music & Ecology is currently under construction, with the first facilities – a habitable water reservoir and music classroom – nearly complete. This cultural and environmental campus has been fully funded through Sahara Roots Foundation.
