Morocco Copper Foundry (MCF)

The Problem

The scrap metal processing sector in Morocco is currently very informal. This means that the people working in the sector are often subject to inadequate working conditions. Many scrap collectors must accept unfair wages and do not have access to social security, proper training, or have no opportunities for growth and development.  

Additionally, in a male-dominated sector like scrap metal recycling, women face sexual harassment and lack of security. The norm in the sector has been to work from home or from the collector’s home, but this arrangement has created a risk for sexual harassment. Additionally, given the conservative nature of the province, it was socially unacceptable for women to work in others’ homes. Also, women usually are not paid for the work they do because they mostly help their husbands.  

Finally, in the region of Youssouffia where the recycling centre will be established young people generally do not trust legal public authorities and entrepreneurs due to past industrial project failures. Therefore, reaching out to youth directly has proven to be difficult.  

The Solution

Through this project MCF aims to assist young people in transitioning from the informal sector to the formal sector. The objective is to guide them towards shifting from individual informal practices to a formal professional approach, emphasising employee appreciation, trust, security, and the value of legitimate work. Worker’s status will be formalised, and they will be granted access to social security and training and development programs. To reach out to these young individuals, who often distrust legal public authorities and entrepreneurs, the project will engage village chiefs and imams, who are respected within local communities, as intermediaries. In this way, trust can be built between the youth and this project. More than the sector wage will also be provided to foster trust.  

To mitigate the sexual harassment and lack of security that women face, women will be provided with a safe, well-lit working environment equipped with cameras to increase security and encourage them to report any incidents to the head of the Unit without fear of retaliation. Strict anti-harassment policies will also be implemented. To ensure that their voices are heard, and concerns are taken into consideration, the workers will be sensitised from the beginning and foster an inclusive and respectful working environment for women. As young women may face safety concerns when working in various locations for scrap collection, safety training and personal protective equipment will be provided to mitigate risks. To facilitate their access to the recycling unit, the project will aim to provide personnel transport to secure reliable and safe transportation options for our employees.