Kate's blog
In partnership with the Embassy of the Netherlands in Morocco, HAF organized and presented a series of workshops focused on the theme of inclusive community planning during the months of January and February 2010. HAF provided hands-on training to twenty-eight Masters students at Hassan II University’s Faculty of Law, Economics, and Social Sciences in Mohammedia, Morocco. Five workshops were held over the course of three weeks, both in the field and at the Center for Community Consensus-Building and Sustainable Development - a partnership between HAF and Hassan II University-Mohammedia. Field-based training was held in the villages of Rass El Bghal and Ain El Jebbouja, in the Commune of Mansouria in the Region of Mohammedia, which offered students the opportunity to practice hands-on activities, such as community mapping, pair-wise ranking, and institutional diagramming – all with the ultimate goal of helping communities reach consensus on their priority development needs. Through this multi-day experience they built relationships with the local population and gained deeper insights into the development challenges facing communities close to home. The students created practical plans for how to continue their work with the communities beyond the workshop series, and HAF has created an internship program to help facilitate this.
In March 2010, HAF completed projects in fruit tree agriculture and clean drinking water in southern Morocco’s Tifnoute Valley, in the Province of Taroudante. Twenty-seven villages, including 6,000 people, benefitted from the planting of 60,000 walnut, cherry, and almond trees, which were part of the Kate Jeans-Gail Tree Nursery Memorial, bringing the total number of fruit trees HAF has planted in rural Morocco to the 200,000 mark.
In addition, HAF provided six villages with clean drinking water: Talmerselt, Aguerzrane, Tasska, Missour, Iberouan, and Idguan noudin. In total, 142 households have benefited from clean water projects, including over 1,000 people. In the coming months, HAF is bringing clean drinking water to three additional villages in the Valley: Imhilen, Tissguane, and Amssouzert. These projects were funded through partnerships with G4S Maroc S.A., The Penney Family Fund – a member of the Common Counsel Foundation, the Gail family, Trees for Life International, Green Sahara Furniture, The Mosaic Foundation, and GlobalGiving.
“Global Sustainability through Community Development” is the theme of People to People International’s (PTPI) 2010 Young Generation (YG) IMPACT Weekend to be held on Friday, May 28, 2010 - Sunday, May 30, 2010 at The Heldrich Hotel (10 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ). The conference is aimed at connecting young adults to PTPI's mission of enhancing international understanding and friendship through educational, cultural and humanitarian activities involving the exchange of ideas and experiences directly among peoples of different countries and diverse cultures. This year, a delegation of students ages 18 - 25, will depart for Morocco at the conclusion of the conference to work on numerous projects, including a three day program in the village of Tassa Ouirgane with The High Atlas Foundation.
At the conference, a special interactive session on the power of community development in Morocco will be led by HAF Board Member Nora Larhouasli Marrakchi on Saturday, May 29th from 2:00pm – 5:00pm. Learn more about the importance of community development in Morocco, the participatory community planning methods used by HAF in the field, and the successes and challenges with this kind of development approach.
Learn more about PTPI’s Young Generation (YG) IMPACT Weekend and HAF’s involvement. For more information on discounted tickets please email Nora Larhouasli Marrakchi directly at nora@highatlasfoundation.org.
During the month of March, the Washington Moroccan Club (WMC) is celebrating its 20th anniversary with 20 events that highlight the diversity and spirit of Morocco. HAF is proud to partner with WMC on this special occasion to present the program Rural Development in Morocco.
On Friday, March 12th from 5 :30pm-7 :30pm, please join the High Atlas Foundation at The University Club of Washington DC (1135 Sixteenth Street, NW) for a conversation about rural development in Morocco. Learn more about the socio-economic and environmental projects that HAF is undertaking to change the lives of thousands of Moroccan families, and ways you can get involved. There will also be plenty of time for networking, and complimentary hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be served.
Feel free to forward this invitation to others, and please let us know if you will be attending this free event by clicking on the button below to register.
We look forward to seeing you!
See a complete listing of Washington Moroccan Club’s 20th anniversary events.
The students of Ibn Khaldoun Academy, located in Alexandria, Virginia, kicked off a year of service with a tree planting event held on school grounds on October 31, 2009. The Moroccan owned academy offers instruction in Arabic, French, and Islamic studies to students from elementary school to adults.
Students, teachers, and parents came together on Halloween to give back to their own community and plant a symbolic “sister tree” for the ones that are planted in HAF’s nurseries in Morocco. HAF Board Member, Sir Charles Dahan, was present to help the students understand the dramatic impact a tree can have on the lives of families living in rural Morocco whose household incomes will at least double when they sell fruit from their new trees at the local markets. Other programs from the foundation benefitting these villages include clean drinking water and women’s cooperatives.
Approximately 50 students and their families raised $200 through a small change fundraiser throughout the month of October and secured a $400 matching grant from a corporate sponsor, to plant 600 fruit tree saplings in a High Atlas Foundation tree nursery. Twelve families will receive trees as a result of this one event. Following in the tradition of HAF’s pilot program of the newly launched Teacher Toolkit a “Penny Can Truly Make a Difference” in the lives of others.
We are incredibly proud of the success of this second youth oriented program, and hope it inspires other educators to use HAF’s Teacher Toolkit in their classrooms. We look forward to accomplishing even more with youth in 2010. Stay tuned in the coming months for highlights of events in Dallas, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.
Thank you to all the children, families and teachers of the Ibn Khaldoun Academy, particularly to its Founder and President, Mr. Boubker Abisourour.
To kick off 2010, HAF is launching a networking and idea sharing initiative in New York City, aptly called Eat.Drink.Share. We’ll be meeting every few months to discuss a different development topic, provide updates on HAF’s projects, network, and share ideas (and share good Moroccan food!).
Please join us on Sunday, January 10th for the inaugural gathering at L’Orange Bleue (430 Broome Street, NYC) from 11:00am – 1:00pm.
Come hungry for brunch or drop in for a cup of coffee. And please come ready to share your ideas!
Make HAF your new year's resolution:
• Brainstorm and help develop fundraising and outreach events (anything from a community picnic, a 5K race, to an academic conference)
• Share contacts, networks, and information about the Moroccan-American community in NYC
• Connect with old friends and make new – we all share a love and passion for Morocco
• Learn about HAF's Resource Council, meet current members, and find out how you can get involved
• Sign-up to help HAF with media outreach, event planning, grassroots fundraising, and much more!
Upcoming 2010 Eat.Drink.Share Events
April: Women and Development
August: Ramadan Iftar
December: Youth Outreach
Event details and registration link will be sent out month before.
All questions, comments, and ideas can be directed to one of the Event and Outreach Co-Chairs:
Nora Marrakchi: nora@highatlasfoundation.org
Kate McLetchie: kate@highatlasfoundation.org
From all of us at HAF, may your new year be full of much joy, good health, and many connections to Morocco!
