Under the auspices of the University of Virginia (UVA) and with the support of the High Atlas Foundation team (HAF), a four-credit academic internship course was taught in Marrakech – Morocco, from May 27 to July 19, 2019. The course, which is entitled “Participatory Development in Practice” focused on local development – from design to implementation and

– Agricultural Literacy: A Solution to Youth Idleness and Unemployment, Global Research, By Anya Karaman (HAF Intern),  27 July 2019. • Arabic: Al-Watan Voice, 1 August 2019. Field work for youth: How getting their hands in the soil could help young Moroccans land a job. At a juvenile detention center in Fes, it feels like summer camp is all year round. There, “maximum

Errachid Montassir HAF project manager “The world is facing a grave climate emergency – disruption is happening now and faster than top scientists predict,” The UN Secretary-General, Mr. Guterres also made an impassioned call for greater support to help develop the green economy. Abu Dhabi hosted the Climate Meeting on June 30th and July 1st,

Alissa Brenn HAF Intern, graduate student On a sunny Friday morning, the High Atlas Foundation took us on a field trip to the village of Tassa Ouirgane in the Al-Haouz province. Our small but very international group consisted of students from the George Mason University in Virginia, student volunteers from all over the world, and

HAF Intern, UVA student Something I have been thinking about is the relationship between top-down and bottom-up development. Community-led, participatory development plays an undeniably important role in global development within economic, political, and social spheres. I’ve seen HAF initiate local economic development through cooperative building and agricultural support for rural farmers; grassroots political movements can

Camelia Harkousse HAF Intern On Wednesday 26th of June, the group accompanied by HAF Project Manager Errachid Mountassir visited a primary school in Bouchane Rhamna, where the children are learning about environmentalism. The pupils presented for the audience a play in classical Arabic. It was about forgiveness and tolerance. I was astonished how skillfully they

Morocco is on its way to being the hub of solar energy in Africa. Brooklyn Wenbo Wu HAF Intern Promoting the use of solar energy is an effective way which not only provides more access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all, but is also a feasible method to address climate change. However,

By Fatima ZAHRA LAHRIRE HAF Volunteer In order to promote and preserve the multicultural past that Morocco is known by, HAF has taken immediate action in partnership with local communities. These actions aim to protect the endemic tolerance and peace in Morocco and the long coexistence between the Muslim, Jewish, and Christian communities. The mission

HAF Intern, University of Virginia The door is always open at the High Atlas Foundation. Often, it is literally open in an attempt to generate some airflow in the office. It is also open in the sense that people are constantly going in and out. My friend Shermeen says it’s like a talk show and

Clarisse ESPIL intern at the High Atlas Foundation On Monday, April 22, 2019, the HAF visited three schools in the province of Rhamna in the Marrakech region, two in the commune of Aït Taleb and one in the village of Bouchan, this time with the theme of health. Which subject in particular? The oral health

Errachid Montassir HAF project manager At present, the world community has limited options for responding to humanitarian crises. It’s time to engage more the youth in building plans in order to create a collective commitment of key actors to ensure that the priorities and rights of communities around the world affected by disaster, conflict, forced

Jenny Spencer HAF’s intern. Ask an American college student what they want to do in their life and inevitably, at some point, they will say some version of “to make a difference.” Ask a young professional why they are transitioning in their careers and you are likely to hear “I want to find more meaning

By Eliana Lisuzzo HAF Program Assistant In a little under just one week, the High Atlas Foundation (HAF) has met with members of 21 cooperatives throughout four provinces of the Oujda Region in Morocco. We have learned the stories behind the development of their cooperatives, about their products, unique manufacturing techniques, the highs and the

– Morocco Provides Safe Spaces for Youth, The New Arab, By Julia Payne (Undergraduate student and HAF Intern), 8 August 2018. • Arabic: El-Bashayer, 1 September 2018.   As a society, we have hopes and dreams for the future; for our children, our countries, and the global community. These aspirations rest on the shoulders of the youngest generation.

Kelsey Abrahamsen Sophomore, Bowling After more than 25 hours of traveling to Morocco, we were greeted warmly upon our arrival by our local partner from the High Atlas Foundation, Rachid. We spent the night in Casablanca before beginnng our (roughly) five-hour drive to Marrakech the following day. Once in Marrakech, we checked into our beautiful Riad (hotel),

by Julie Blaze Senior, Lacrosse Day 3 Today was our second full day in Morocco, but our first day of service. We first met with the CEO of High Atlas Foundation, the foundation we are partnering with here in Morocco. HAF works to help communities participate in the development of their own village’s infrastructure through

By Saloua Rmita HAF intern from Eastern Mediterranean University in Northern Cyprus Office Chérifien des Phosphates (The OCP Group) organized an Act4Community Forum with its staff in Safi (Marrakech region) concerning their volunteerism to support civil society actions for human development. The aim of the Forum is to spread awareness and inspire volunteers to create

By Hannah Rickard July 8, 2015 Interns from the High Atlas Foundation (HAF) visit the walnut facility in Asni to learn more about the production process and future plans from manager Hassan Inflass. Last week, three High Atlas Foundation Interns, Jamal Sebnat, Miranda LaBrash, and Hannah Rickard, grabbed a taxi from the Medina and headed

August 10, 2015 The High Atlas Foundation’s August Newsletter features updates on the HOUSE OF LIFE initiative, as well as Sami’s Project and the “Baby Booties” initiative in the Tassa Ouirgane community. High Atlas Foundation’s Commitment to Action HOUSE OF LIFE is an innovative agricultural initiative whose implications are broad and resonate acutely with current

By Pommelien da Silva Cosme, Intern November 10, 2015 In May 2015, HAF Development Director, Jacque Seeley taught an English class to a group of young, enthusiastic students at the University Hassan II in Mohammedia. It was the first time HAF engaged in teaching English at the University. It proved to be a great experience and

November 13, 2015 The Ecological Footprint can be thought of as a tool for measurement and communication used to track human demand on the Earth’s natural resource flows. The Ecological Footprint, for example, – enables definition of sustainability in specific and measurable terms (which is ultimately determined by not just    environmental but also economic, social,

By Ida Sophie Winter HAF Project Manager November 16, 2015 On Friday November 13 2015, Yossef Ben-Meir spoke to the ability of students at Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane to effect social change in their communities and country. “You have to realize your power… and that is your right. And it is the right of

Are you passionate about language and interested in expanding your translation skills? HAF is currently looking for a professional or non-professional translator to translate Spanish documents into French and Arabic. Your task will mainly consist of providing translation for walnut processing machine manuals. Please note that this involves rather technical terms. Our volunteers are vital

Mouhssine Tadlaoui-Cherki 1 February, 2016  The High Atlas Foundation (HAF) team is currently in the process of wrapping up its Legal Aid Program, funded by the National Endowment for Democracy and held in partnership with the Faculty of Law, Economics and Social Sciences in Mohammedia. The program concentrated on providing legal services for civil society organizations

The elevator pitch: the shortest-seeming thirty-to-sixty-second-ride ever! When mastered, it becomes the quintessential vehicle for sharing a dream, collaboration and investment. This technique was employed over two days, March 23-24 in Rabat, during which HAF team members Safae Lacheheb (Volunteer) and Jacqueline Seeley (Director of Development) worked with a group of Moroccan entrepreneurs to build

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 Dr. Yossef Ben-Meir, Mouhssine Tadlaoui-Cherki & Kati Roumani Vulnerability. A common denominator shared by many people in Morocco including students and recent, jobless graduates and youthful, former prison detainees. These two groups actually have more in common than might appear at first sight.  A significant proportion of young Moroccans who manage to make it

The High Atlas Foundation has a unique partnership that launches an initiative to profoundly benefit Morocco’s youth and farming communities in the Ifrane province.  Ifrane’s Education Delegation (the provincial office of the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training) and HAF signed an agreement that enables the lending of underutilized land near schools to be lent

The last week of 2016 Dear Friends, Seeds empower women with income, choice and more control over their lives. Seeds make beautiful schools and inform our children about human and environmental life. Seeds are a source of youth employment when we learn how to care for them. Seeds bring together diverse groups of faith. Seeds become our vanguards for clean air and

With the annual tree planting event on January 16th upon us, HAF used the opportunity to evaluate the past three planting seasons. HAF wishes to constantly grow and change for the better and part of this process is learning from the different of outcomes. Within the scope of the evaluation of Sami’s Project we visited 15 schools in