The High Atlas Foundation is undertaking a special fundraiser in memory of Kate Jeans-Gail, a Peace Corps Volunteer in Morocco from 2001 to 2003, who was tragically killed in a car accident along with her mother in December 2003. In recognition of her extraordinary service to Morocco, we want to build a tree nursery in her name in Ouarzazate Province, where she lived in southern Morocco.
The Moroccan Ambassador to the United States, Mr. Aziz Mekouar, is graciously hosting a reception at his home on Friday, June 23rd, to kick-off the Kate Jeans-Gail Memorial and to honor Edward Gabriel, former United States Ambassador to Morocco, who has been incredibly supportive of HAF’s efforts for many years. We will celebrate the achievement of the Kate Jeans-Gail Memorial Fund at our annual event in NYC on September 14th.
Kate was such an inspiration and positive influence on everyone that she met and we want to help carry on the work that she started. There were so many people that loved her and want some way to honor her memory. This memorial will help them do that – as well as help thousands of Moroccans live better lives. Most importantly, the trees will serve as a living reminder of Kate’s many contributions there and her love for the Moroccan people. We believe this would be a fitting tribute to her commitment to Morocco and to her extraordinarily generous spirit.
About Kate Jeans-Gail
About the Kate Jeans-Gail Memorial
Kate Jeans-Gail
Katherine (“Kate”) Jeans-Gail was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. She graduated from Boise Eliot Elementary School and St. Mary’s Academy in Portland in 1997, and received a BA from Smith College in 2001. Kate was involved with volunteer work throughout her life – including working with orphans through Mother Theresa’s Missionary Sisters of Charity in Calcutta. She joined the Peace Corps immediately after College and was assigned to a remote village in Morocco as a maternal-child health technician. Widely recognized by her peers and supervisors as a star Volunteer, she successfully pursued a grant from the United States Agency for International Development to build a health clinic and birthing center, among other projects. Also while in the Peace Corps Kate was elected to represent the health sector on the Volunteer Action Committee (VAC) and was a leader and trainer with the Volunteer Support Network (VSN). Kate and her fellow Volunteers were evacuated at the start of the Iraq War in 2003 and Kate was one of the last Americans to leave the country. In December 2003, at the time of the accident, Kate was living in New York City and working for Teach For America.
The Kate Jeans-Gail Memorial
The HAF Board decided on the nursery project because rural villages consistently identify fruit tree planting as a top priority during community meetings. Their discussions centered on building a fruit tree nursery that would serve their commune of 10,000 people, statistically among Morocco’s poorest people. As a group, they identified the most viable land to construct the nursery and how it will be maintained. They seek to plant are apple, cherry, peach, pear, plum, and walnut trees. The villagers will plant and maintain the trees, and they will be the sole beneficiaries of the income that is generated.
Our goal for the Kate Jeans-Gail Memorial is to raise $25,000 to fund the development of a fruit tree nursery that the High Atlas communities will design and build. The nursery will include 100,000 saplings, and in two years time will meet the fruit tree needs of the entire commune. Six years after they are planted, the proceeds from selling the fruit produced will at least double the income of every family in the region.
The High Atlas Foundation is an all-volunteer organization with almost no overhead. For this special fund, 100 percent of donations will go directly to the fruit tree nursery.