About

Hello! Marehba bik, welcome.

I’ve spent much of my life searching for ways to create change. Two decades in social change took me around the world. Yet the real work found me when I stopped running and went towards what feeds me most: words, rituals, and creation.

I am Algerian by root and spirit, one foot on the banks of Oued Mzi, the other on the windswept plateau of Djebel Amour. My path has wound through Mali’s soulful slowness, Britain’s rains, Rwanda’s quiet resilience, Tunisia’s warmth, Washington’s contrasts, Morocco’s embrace, Senegal’s laughter, and now India’s colors. Yet no matter where I stood, it is the Maghreb with its fierce tenderness, colorful contrasts, timeless wisdom, and living rhythm, that continues to speak through me.

I don’t stand here with perfect answers. I’m not a therapist, nor do I pretend to have life figured out. What I do have is maturity, exposure to many cultures, and a restless curiosity to keep asking how can I live my life ON purpose. My compass is made of three dualities that I try to stay aware of and share about :

Intention vs Noise by unpacking niya (or intention) to push past fear, second-guessing, and living on autopilot.

Abundance vs Scarcity through the powerful belief in the notion of baraka that helps rise above comparison, competition, and the endless chase for more.

Inner Fire vs Powerlessness by exploring the notion of himma to resist self-doubt, defeat, and giving our power away.

Maktoub Studio is where these questions take shape into reflective books, workbooks, wall art and oracle decks. It’s for those who carry North Africa in their bones, or those who simply feel its call.

Here, heritage meets imagination and, what is written (maktoub) is only the first draft, the ink is still wet, waiting for what we dare to add.

So if you feel daring...daring enough to choose presence over escape, truth over silence, and courage over comfort, then welcome. I’m glad you’re here.

Heartfully,
Ratiba