Interview 14 – 50 years of Precision, Patience and Experience

Can you tell me about your background?

My name is Aziz El Aboudi. I’ve been in this trade for 50 years. I started when I was very young, and it’s all I’ve known.

I live here in Sidi Bou, in the city. Even at 65, I continued practicing my craft, making leather items like wallets and bags

How long have you been doing this work?

50 years

Can you describe your job?

This is the leatherwork I continue, producing products like wallets, bags, and other leather items

We pay fees to sell in the bazaar, around 1,500 dirhams. It’s a privilege but also a challenge. The work is long and requires full dedication, from cutting and stitching to finishing each piece

Can you tell me how it is for women in the sector?

We no longer have the same opportunities as before. Even with experience, work is demanding. Proper training is necessary, especially in the traditional crafts. After fifty years of practice, you realise that nothing can replace experience. Young people often don’t continue.

Education has changed, and fewer people want to work in this craft. Many have left. In the early days, the work was more sustainable and rewarding. Now, the demand for leather products isn’t the same, so the craft has lost some of its prestige.

As I grew older, it became harder to maintain the work. But this is the craft I stuck with all these years

What are the main concerns about the informality of your job?

Sometimes we work a full day to produce enough goods. Leatherwork requires precision, patience, and experience. This is the reality of traditional leather craft today. Even though the demand and prestige aren’t what they used to be, we continue to work to sustain our families and combat poverty

Is a formalised job in the agricultural sector a reality in Morocco?

I never went into agriculture because it’s physically demanding and poorly paid. Leatherwork is what I know best, and it sustains my family.