A cooperative is a social enterprise owned and run by its members. Whether those members are the employees, customers, or the local community, they share the profits and have an equal say in how the business is run. Cooperatives often enable underprivileged individuals to collectively compete in a market through democratic decision-making and joint-ownership agreements.

I decided to intern with HAF because I wanted to see their work in the field firsthand, and was especially interested in the role of handicrafts for income-generation since I had worked with a women’s cooperative in the community of Oasis Siwain in Egypt. I was keen to see the differences and similarities between two

Each year on April 7th, World Health Day attracts international attention to the world health issues. This year, the World Health Organization (WHO) highlighted the serious and increasing threat of vector-borne diseases that are affecting millions of people worldwide among the poorest populations, particularly where there is a lack of access to adequate housing, safe

Through the incredible achievement of the 1 million tree campaign, HAF was able to pilot and roll-out a model of transformative rural arboriculture and irrigation which provided the training, start-up capital and confidence for 5,000 families to make the step away from subsistence farming and out of poverty. This is a success in itself, but

Earlier this month (week beginning 10 June), HAF met with representatives of the coalition of associations of Mohammedia (CAM). This meeting was an opportunity to strengthen our work with the coalition. The objectives of this meeting was to follow up on the status of CAM; to discuss the main elements of a press release text;

Dimanche le 16 juin, la Fondation du Haut Atlas en collaboration avec l’Association Argania et des partenaires de la société civile ont organisé un deuxième nettoyage collectif du cimetière musulman « Chouhada », le cimetière musulman le plus historique d’Essaouira. Cette activité fait partie de notre projet visant à réhabiliter les cimetières des trois religions à Essaouira, soutenu

(EN) Protect Essaouira’s cultural heritage! HAF and partners will be working again in Essaouira’s “Chouhada” cemetery this Sunday 30 June. Come along from 10am! (FR) Préservez le patrimoine d’Essaouira! La Fondation du Haut Atlas, Argania et les partenaires vont travailler à nouveau dans le cimetière “Chouhada” d’Essaouira (près de l’hôpital) ce dimanche 30 juin. Venez nombreux à

In this world, people go through many things; some are good and some bad. But the memories stay with us. No matter how much experience we gather, the memories remain. The challenges people go through can change the way they think, feel and act. I know this because of what I experienced as a HAF

PRESS RELEASE Ouaouizerth Project: in love and honor for the spirit of the late U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens The High Atlas Foundation (HAF) partners with the commune of Ouaouizerth, in the Azilal Province of Morocco, and the Adrar Cooperative to help the local community to achieve an agricultural development project. By the High Atlas Foundation Published:

On Thursday July 4th, 2013, the High Atlas Foundation held a conference with university students, members of civil society organizations (CSOs), representatives of government, and community participants. The event took place at the local Cultural Center and was an opportunity for the newly created Coalition of over 30 CSOs in the city of Mohammedia that

رمضان كريم July 10, 2013 was the first day of Ramadan this year, the greatest month of Muslim Lunar months; a month of repentance, and forgiveness, a month of compassion and giving. Ramadan was created in Islam not just for the sake of experiencing hunger and thirst, but to feel the billions of people in

By Dr. Yossef Ben-Meir, president of the High Atlas Foundation I have come to recognize a familiar feeling after ends of tree planting seasons, one of gratitude for what the High Atlas Foundation (HAF), communities, and partners have accomplished in rural Morocco, and at the same time a longing for what could be and will

On 14 July, HAF was pleased to welcome a group of US high school students, in Morocco to study Arabic to the site of our cultural heritage project in Essaouira. Over the last months, HAF and partners have been working to rehabilitate the Muslim, Christian and Jewish cemeteries of Essaouira. The group of 35 teenage students and their leaders, including Ms.

At HAF we have had a very busy and successful few months. We are currently developing new projects and applying for funding to continue our work on sustainable community development in Morocco. However, it is useful to reflect on our achievements when considering the way forward… HAF has had diverse and sustainable achievements since it

By Hanan Ezaoui, Community Facilitator in Boujdour, High Atlas Foundation Marrakech, 15 August 2013: The National Holidays are memories of historical and political events in the Kingdom of Morocco.The Commemoration 34 of Oued Eddahab remembers August, 14 1979 – an important historical date for all Moroccans andparticularly the local people of Oued Eddahab, when the territory

21 August is Youth Day in Morocco. This article was written by Malika Kassi, HAF Project Manager, in tribute to Morocco’s young people. Community-driven and Participatory Development: Morocco’s Key to Sustainable and Equitable Growth One of the things that I discovered and recognized during my experience with HAF is the concept of participatory contribution to

Whilst researching participatory approaches to development during my second year at university, I came across the Center for Community-Consensus Building and Sustainable Development; a partnership of University Hassan II and the High Atlas Foundation (HAF) in Mohammedia. The Center takes a participatory approach to facilitating development in the city of Mohammedia which is central to

The High Atlas Foundation (HAF) is growing as fast as the hundreds of thousands of well-maintained walnut saplings we have planted in several regions of Morocco in recent years. The HAF is moving closer to becoming a large-scale creator of green-jobs in Morocco, while continuing to provide participatory training and development based on community-expressed needs

The High Atlas Foundation (HAF) has launched the second year of its capacity building program on participatory democratic planning and project management in Mohammedia, Morocco – in collaboration with the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI). Led by the HAF team in charge of the Center for Community Consensus and Sustainable Development at the Faculty of

“They say charity begins at home.  For the High Atlas Foundation, the first charity I have visited in Morocco as an ambassador for Global Giving UK, charity begins in the office. And this week it began with me. I have been utterly bowled over by the care and generosity I have received from every single

In my first week interning with the Center for Community Consensus-Building and Sustainable Development (a partnership of University Hassan II and the High Atlas Foundation), we had a meeting with a civil society organisations (CSOs) in the rural commune of SidiMoussa Ben Ali. In the second week, we had a meeting with representatives from a

(EN) HAF will present the outcomes of its one-year Essaouira cemetery project supported by the US Ambassadors Cultural Preservation Fund and the Association Essaouira Mogador on 1 October at 9:30am at Dar al Mouwaten. We will also discuss opportunities to continue the maintenance and outreach as well as possibilities for further cultural heritage projects in Essaouira.

Note: this article, by Asher Knafo, is currently only available in French. We hope to have it translated into English very soon. Pendant un an entre septembre 2012 et septembre 2013, la Fondation du Haut Atlas[1] (High Atlas Foundation – HAF) et ses partenaires ont réalisé un programme de préservation et d’entretien des cimetières musulman, juif et

A post by HAF Volunteer Fionn Herold After two days working and volunteering in the office of the High Atlas Foundation (HAF) in Marrakech I got the opportunity to spend three weeks in Amsouzerte which is located in the Tifnout Valley of the High Atlas Mountains, close to Mount Toubkal and Lake Ifni. At my arrival

By Zaynab Osman Intern Center for Community Consensus and Sustainable Development High Atlas Foundation A month ago, participatory development was the title of a chapter in my development textbook, the name of a series of lectures I had attended at university, or the topic of an essay I had written; just theory. Nonetheless, it was

Donate to HAF on October 9th through Global Giving and you’ll be giving 30% more to developing rural school infrastructure. In the picturesque High Atlas Mountains, many rural schools are not equipped with toilets, forcing children to hold it in, or to go in unsanitary conditions. This situation reduces morale and attendance, and creates a negative association for children

(EN) The closing conference of the project to preserve the cemeteries of the three faiths in Essaouira took place on Tuesday 1 October at Dar al Mouwaten in Essaouira. Below is a translation of an article transmitted by MAP (Maghreb Arab Presse) in English. The French version can be found in the links below. (FR) La conférence

“Since 2003, creating synergistic partnerships that drive sustainable, community-initiated development in Morocco” Donate to The High Atlas Foundation on October 9th through Global Giving, and you’ll be giving 30% more! View this email in your browser Invest in Rural Education Many rural schools are not equipped with toilets or basic infrastructure. This situation reduces morale. Building gender-segregated bathrooms has a profound effect

Hijri or Islamic Year is named after the migration of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) from Mecca to Yathrib (which is called now Al Madina Al Munawara) to escape the harm of Quraish people. And from which the Hijri History began to be dated by the second Caliph Omar Ibn Al-Khattab. The Prophet

النسخة العربية Today, 6 November 2013, is the 38th Anniversary of the Green March. On October 6, 1975, The late king of Morocco Hassan II (May Allah bless his soul) announced the organization of the largest peaceful march, which became one of the miracles of the twentieth century and marked a key moment in Morocco’s peaceful