Marrakech -Hind Laidi, president of the Jood humanitarian association, has publicly addressed the confusion surrounding her organization and a similarly named foundation linked to the National Rally of Independents (RNI) party led by Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch.
Laidi accuses the RNI-affiliated foundation of deliberately misusing her association’s name for political purposes, turning what was once a symbol of humanitarian work into a source of public misunderstanding. She clarifies that Jood is apolitical, with no ties to any political party, and stands firmly behind the motto: “God, Nation, King.”
The issue escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic when authorities relied on Jood to distribute food aid using an official, transparent system. However, the emergence of another foundation with the same name, operating in an electoral context, led to confusion. Many people, unknowingly enrolled in the RNI party after receiving aid, struggled to distinguish between the charitable Jood Association and the political Jood Foundation.
The confusion was amplified in media outlets and on social media, where footage and articles connected Jood’s humanitarian efforts to the RNI party. Despite sending formal warnings to the political foundation, Laidi’s requests for a name change have gone unanswered. As a result, her organization faced a backlash on social media, with volunteers being questioned about their independence.
Laidi, who has refrained from legal action, remains frustrated with the lack of trust following Akhannouch’s rise to government leadership and the appointment of Abdellatif Ouahbi as Justice Minister—both of whom have criticized her association. She strongly opposes the use of her organization’s name for political gain, arguing that it erodes public trust in charity and solidarity.
Founded in 2015, Jood started as a grassroots effort to provide meals to the homeless and evolved into a recognized non-profit. During the pandemic, it supported over 13,000 families and 14 confinement centers. Jood’s work has been praised by the National Initiative for Human Development, which named it the lead organization for assisting the homeless. The association continues its humanitarian work despite the ongoing identity conflict with the politically affiliated foundation.