By Ida Sophie Winter HAF Project Manager November 11, 2015 Moroccan fig trees are a part of Ahmed Hakam. Until he was nine years old, Ahmed never ventured outside of his birth village near the northern city of Ouezzane. He vividly remembers the local fig harvest, when, every year, he, his mother and scores of

November 19, 2015 The saffron season is almost over – but we were just in time to visit a beautiful Saffron Garden in Ourika Valley and talk to Miloud, who has been working with the “red gold” for over 14 years. “When I close my eyes, I see Saffron,” Miloud confessed. With passion, he showed

November 24, 2015 By Hannah Urtz The success of a non-profit depends largely upon its key players—their commitment and dedication to the work that they do and their passion for bringing about change. The High Atlas Foundation is no different, relying heavily upon the investment of their stakeholders at all levels, including their office and

Pledging to Fight Poverty and Marginalization in Morocco The High Atlas Foundation has joined #GivingTuesday, a global day of giving that harnesses the collective power of individuals, communities and organizations to encourage philanthropy and to celebrate generosity worldwide. Occurring this year on December 1, #GivingTuesday is held annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving (in the

By Dr. Yossef Ben-Meir, HAF president November 30, 2015 I wonder if we can measure, using a scientific, quantitative methodology, whether, in fact, giving is actually getting. The overwhelming evidence in my life, based on my experiences, based on so many voices I’ve heard, based on ancient and contemporary writing, within poetry, as part of

HAF project manager November 27, 2015 The streets of Figuig are quiet and empty. Dusty rose-colored walls stand as dividing sentinels along the roadways of this eastern Moroccan date oasis, empty during this midweek afternoon. There are few roads to Figuig, and they are lonely at this time of year, save for CTM local transport

Le 10 décembre 2015 Cet article a été écrit et publié par le PNUD au Maroc. Le représentant résident du PNUD Maroc, Philippe Poinsot, a visité avec nous trois sites à Ait Omar, Tadmamt et Asni, chacun représentant les différentes phases du cycle de l’agriculture organique. Accompagné de l’équipe de la Fondation du Haut Atlas,

By Ida Sophie Winter, HAF project manager December 9, 2015 The High Atlas Foundation trains government and civil sector employees in participatory development The High Atlas Foundation, in partnership with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Republic of Cameroon and United Nations Development Programme, trained Cameroonian government and civil sector employees in facilitating participatory community development

By Pommelien da Silva Cosme, HAF intern December 11, 2015 Last week, I was thrilled to attend a compost workshop in Ourika Valley, just 45 minutes out of Marrakech. Eager to learn more about the process and the benefits of composting, I joined some 30 women to learn more about the basic guidelines on how

By Dr. Yossef Ben-Meir, HAF president December 16, 2015 We learn as we live. The High Atlas Foundation has been planting seeds in community-managed nurseries since its birth in 2000. Only this year have we come to learn this simple fact: the people’s seeds are equity, and financial institutions grant and loan to the people’s

By Liam Stewart, HAF intern 28 December, 2015 Working alongside the High Atlas Foundation (HAF) has been an amazing experience. In the past three months I have had the opportunity to contribute to the vital sustainable development work being carried out by the organisation, develop my own personal skills and explore different regions of the

By Lillian Thomson January 2016 Since the first group of Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) arrived in Morocco in 1963, over 5,000 Americans have served in the Peace Corps’ partnership with Morocco to develop resilient communities through education and similar voluntary initiatives. In 2010 I was sent to work with Yossef Ben-Meir, president of the High

January 21st, 2016 Monday, January 25th, 2016 – Akrich, rural commune of Tamesloht, Al Haouz province (25 km south of Marrakesh): At what has become an annual, intercultural celebration of the new planting season, a further milestone in the calendar of the High Atlas Foundation (HAF) is set to take place. The event will be

By Lisa Maria Wiese, HAF intern 15 January, 2016 The almond is a precious fruit that can be enjoyed on its own, in a cake, and even for luxurious crèmes. The production of the very tasty and equally healthy fruit of the almond tree requires many steps, but the reward is well worth it in

Communiqué de presse 27 janvier 2016 POUR DIFFUSION IMMEDIATE Morocco: Soutenir le développement économique d’une manière enrichissante pour tous : la Maison de Vie, une initiative interculturelle d’agriculture bio de la Fondation du Haut Atlas et de l’engagement à l’action de la Clinton Clinton Global Initiative. Monday, January 25th, 2016 – Akrich, rural commune of Tamesloht,

– Between Despondency and Hope in Morocco’s Oriental Region, The Perspective, by Elle Houby (HAF writer), 29 January   2016. – On the fringes of the Saharan desert, skirted by the rocky coastline of the northern Maghreb where it meets the blue Mediterranean, lies the Oriental region of Morocco. Nestling within an often verdant, predominantly mountainous terrain is Oujda, the largest

By Lisa Maria Wiese, Social Media Intern February 9, 2016 On February 8th, I had the great joy of accompanying the HAF team and HAF’s president Yossef Ben-Meir to the rural province of Rhamna. There, I attended my first tree distribution which took place at Bouchane schools in the area. The first school I visited

A qui de droit: C’est avec plaisir que je joins le texte de l’allocution prononcée par M. Younès Al Badawi, gouverneur d’Al Haouz, le 25 janvier 2016 à la cérémonie de signature d’un engagement à l’action de la Clinton Global Initiative, à laquelle a assisté M. Dwight L. Bush, Ambassadeur des Etats-Unis d’Amérique au Royaume

By Elle Houby 16 February 2016 A mere forty-five minute drive from the rhythmic commotion that is Marrakesh, Morocco’s southern metropolis, sits the lush nursery of Tadmamt. As spring edges closer, the intricately terraced fields make for a refreshing change of scenery after the vibrant urban scene. Yet, enveloped in the lofty peaks of the

The High Atlas Foundation has recently registered with Amazon Smile. Select the High Atlas Foundation as your chosen non-profit and every time you order from Amazon a small donation will go to HAF! Every donation helps HAF continue to encourage sustainable prosperity in Morocco! “Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases

By Luigi Limone February 23, 2016 On February 22nd, I had the opportunity to accompany the HAF team to the province of Chichaoua, in the region of Marrakech-Safi. We left from Marrakech at 8 a.m. to reach the Tadmamt nursery. Immersed in the majesty of the High Atlas Mountains, the nursery imparts the feeling of

To view text in french, please click here More than 15 years ago, around the spirit of Peace Corps, the High Atlas Foundation was founded to help rural Moroccan communities in need. A dedicated group of Americans and Moroccans alike saw that there was a great space to be filled, and they worked together to create

By Lisa Wiese April 6, 2016 As you head east from Marrakech you will pass through many little villages that showcase the bright colors, vibrant culture, and wide smiles of the Moroccan people. Make sure to open your window so you can smell the fresh, cold air of the wind which comes from the mountains,

An open letter to the people of the world: By Emma Tobin April 7, 2016 I was four when the 9/11 terrorist attacks happened, effectively meaning that I grew up in a country full of fear, anger, and resentment towards Muslim people. The Iraq and Afghanistan wars only furthered that fear and anger as soldiers

To view text in French please click here Every planting season has its own life story. We are at that time of the year when it has just concluded. This year, as every year, we gave it all the energy and resources that we could muster.  Here are the incredible results and our deepest hopes for

– Moroccan Decentralization – Challenges to Genuine Implementation, Indigenous Policy Journal, by Yossef Ben-Meir   (HAF President), 1 November 2016. The Moroccan decentralization initiative bears great promise to achieve human development goals that are truly ‘of the people’. As turmoil engulfs so much of the MENA region, the Moroccan model stands out as a potential means of empowering and

By Nina Schmitz 23.05.16 The best achievements you get are those you enjoy. And you enjoy most what you can share with friends. The trip to M’gouna was great opportunity for HAF staff, volunteers and interns to teambuilding and enjoy what the region has to offer. We had fun weekend, eight current members of the

By Ramzi Talbi 5/26/2016 A group of sixteen students from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts visited the High Atlas Foundation today to learn about our mission and projects, along with their Professor Peter Fraunholtz. The day started early in the morning with tea at HAF’s office in Marrakesh, while Dr. Yossef Ben-Meir, the foundation’s president,

By Mark Apel, Former Peace Corps Volunteer 31/05/2016 First, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Yossef and the staff, volunteers and interns for the opportunity to join HAF’s work on bettering the lives of rural people in the Kingdom of Morocco. I valued every minute of my time assisting the organization with

By Mark Apel, Former Peace Corps Volunteer This spring, I had the privilege of volunteering in Morocco for the High Atlas Foundation (HAF), a US 501(c)(3) and Moroccan non-profit organization that focuses on disadvantaged rural and urban communities through participatory development. This small but mighty organization, based in Marrakech, was founded by former Peace Corps Volunteers