HUMANS OF MARRAKESH

ESSAY 1: LALA AICHA, THE SOUP VENDOR.

At six o’clock every morning, Lala Aicha, the soup vendor, wakes up and prepares herself for work. After she gets up, Lala Aicha offers her prayers and has breakfast. Before she leaves home, she has to take the heavy rounded metal pot, full of Moroccan soup (Herira), out of the fridge and reheats it for a few minutes. She also has to get her basket of dates and eggs ready.
After she finishes, she puts the heavy pot, the basket, and the bowls in her hand cart, then she leaves the house, heading to her well-known corner.
Lala Aicha usually starts serving breakfast to her clients from 7:00 to 9:30 a.m. Her corner is always busy. Everybody loves Lala Aicha’s soup served with eggs and dates. The prices are more than reasonable. A bowl of soup with two eggs and a handful of dates cost only 5 MAD. Such breakfast is affordable as well as healthy. After Lala Aicha finishes at 9:30 a.m, she picks up her stuff and pushes her hand cart home.
That is how Lala Aicha makes her daily living. She is satisfied with it despite her struggles of being a widow; she never gives up. This strong woman also has great faith in the ‘Barakat’ (blessings) and ‘Alrizzq’ (Halal livelihood). She never worries about it. She believes that Allah (God) is the ‘provider’ of Rizq.