There is only one thing required to change one’s life: willingness.

On December 7th, the High Atlas Foundation (HAF) team consisting of Zineb Laadam, Houria Chouhab, and Lahcen Ait Ouattouch visited the Daraa Lachhab cooperative in the village of Douar Chouirij, in the Sidi Badhaj commune, Haouz Province, Marrakech.

The aim of this visit was to meet with the women to see how the Farmer to Farmer (F2F) team can provide technical assistance to their cooperative in order to grow and improve their products.

F2F Field officer explaining the HAF mission to the Cooperative’s main members

Their main activity is livestock, but they are aiming to expand their activities and need a detailed business plan to get funds from the government. These women are willing to upgrade their technical knowledge first and be familiar with the administrative steps they need to go through during the set-up of their cooperative. The HAF team suggested that all the technical assistance these women need could be provided through its F2F program.

The team also suggested that starting with an IMAGINE workshop would be beneficial to empower the women and make them aware of their own strengths and weaknesses. Afterwards, they can benefit from other workshops conducted by experts in the field they need knowledge about.

Being at the starting line of a long race might be discouraging sometimes, but these women have what it takes to cross the finish line. They have a willingness to go through long roads in order to expand their project and, most importantly, to empower themselves.

It always feels good to hear that groups of women in rural areas are cooperating for the improvement of the situation of women in their communities, and the High Atlas Foundation will always be glad to provide assistance whenever it is needed.