HAF President In 1993, for the month before my traveling to live in the Tifnoute Valley just south of Mount Toubkal, I lived in a small house on the outer edge of the village of Tassa Ouirgane, just north of Toubkal. There, I learned conceptually the delicate balance in meeting developmental and environmental goals at

HAF President Is it hubris, that in the face of worry and challenge and fundamental concerns about the future, that we put aside from what we may have, to plant trees for a tomorrow – a benefit for a distant day? May it actually be our nature to uphold nature, even when we are confronted

Etudiante en master En partenariat avec la Fondation Crédit Agricole du Maroc pour le Développement Durable (FCAMDD), High Atlas Foundation (HAF) a lancé un programme de plantation des arbres fruitiers organiques (amandier et noyer)  et de formation des agriculteurs en techniques agricoles dans la province de Taroudant, commune de Toubkal, région Souss Massa afin d’assurer

On Friday, February 28, a new international convoy made its way to Demnate: the Moroccan contingent of High Atlas Foundation staff members Imane and driver/photographer Mohammed; Asmaa, the executive assistant for Yves Rocher Morocco; Jingxin from China, a HAF Intern; and me from France, also an Intern. We were pleased to have Asmaa present to

متدرب بمؤسسة الأطلس الكبير في رحلة لجبال الأطلس الكبير الغربي بحوز مراكش على ارتفاع يقارب 1700 متر فوق سطح البحر. في جبال الاطلس تعد موطنا للعديد من الأنواع النباتية والحيوانية الفريدة تقطنها ساكنة تمارس في انشطتها الاقتصادية الزراعة وتربية الماشية، وجل السكان بهذه المناطق ناطقة باللغة الأمازيغية، ولما كان الأمر كذلك باعتبار الساكنة تمارس الأنشطة

HAF Volunteer On February 28, I went on with HAF staff member Hajiba and Mohammed, another volunteer, to the Illou private school to present two workshops on global warming. We were welcomed by the Director, Mrs. Illou, before going to a classroom where we met about 30 second-year students. During the workshop, Hajiba presented the

تقني ميداني مؤسسة الاطلس الكبير عند وصولنا الى دوار امسوزارت مرورا بشق وسط الوادي المليء بالاحجار والمياه, والتقينا بممثلي الجمعية والسيد ابراهيم الذي سبق ان نسقنا معه  من قبل  وقمنا بتوزيع 2300 شجرة جوز و5000 شجرة لوز و موازاتا مع ذلك اعطينا  الحاضرين مجموعة من الإرشادات حول كيفية الحفاظ  على الأشجار بوضعها في ظروف ملائمة

FHA voluntaire Le complexe de Nzalat Laadam qui rassemble près de 800 élèves comprend des classes allant du préscolaire jusqu’au collège, dans des bâtiments très colorés où des dessins et tableaux décorent les murs. Il se trouve à près d’une heure de route au Nord de Marrakech. Nous avons été formidablement accueillis dans cet établissement.

HAF Volunteer The rocky terrains of the High Atlas Mountains are hard to navigate even for the most seasoned motorists, but our driver Hassan, a native Amazigh, knows by heart all their twists and turns. On our way to Tadmamt, he was humming to the relaxing melodies by Johnny Cash on the radio, while guiding

HAF Volunteer [Jingxin Wang is a college student from China who attends school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. She is currently on a “gap year,” volunteering with HAF.] The trip to Nzalat Laadam was just like any other. If it weren’t for the ever-so-imposing red in the background, we could easily be driving

HAF Intern On the morning of the February 17, 2020, I’m going to pass the day with Imane, Karam, Nic and Yossef: international HAF convoy. In the car, the music gives the rhythm to the landscapes which pass before our eyes. Linkin Park and the Norman singer Orelsan are coming on the trip. I learn

Dear Friend, I have often felt that each project is a miracle, literally. When we look back during times of shared evaluation, who could have known or predicted all the roads we would take or the partners that would make each step possible. And, somehow, with the grace of so many people, hundreds of thousands

HAF Intern On February 14th, I went with three members of the High Atlas Foundation to a primary school near the town of El Gara in the Berrechid Province. During this day, two workshops were organized in order to raise awareness about climate change among the young generation. The first activity was aimed at having

Tifaouine Angale, in Anougal in the South of Marrakesh HAF Volunteer Down to the village of Anougal, on February 11th, the Farmer-to-Farmer team visited this women’s cooperative for the first time. On this sunny day, a dirt road is leading us to the small village of Anougal. Olive trees, mountains, rocky constructions and dry rivers

HAF Friend The argan-oil trade is a large and growing industry with fierce competition for customers. With big cosmetic brands integrating argan oil into their products, the demand is ever-increasing outside of the local Morocco market. As it grows in global popularity with social media “influencers” and those seeking organic products, women’s cooperatives have risen

HAF Project Manager On January 31st, 2020, I had the chance to travel with my colleagues Errachid and Amina and a former HAF volunteer Youssef to meet the women of Tassa Ouirgane Cooperative who are managing a HAF fruit tree nursery.I facilitated a workshop on climate change and environmental laws with five women and two men.

HAF Volunteer At 8:30 on the morning of 5 February 2020, I met with High Atlas Foundation (HAF) staff member Amina and French volunteer Julie at the HAF headquarters; from there we took our backpacks full of notes, pens and sheets and walked for a couple of minutes, in order to get a cab towards

Dear Friend, Between now and the last day of March, we have just 48 days to plant trees that will bear fruit and sustainable livelihoods for generations. When we think of that young child, 50 or 100 years from now, eating a walnut that came from the work of our hands today, how can we let

Marrakech Rural Moroccans, in reckoning with their environmental degradation, have turned to an unusual source to restore their prosperity: tradition. Two weeks ago, I set out with three of my colleagues from the High Atlas Foundation (HAF, Marrakech) to the village of Gourrama in the Moroccan Middle Atlas Mountains. Our journey, from sunrise to sunset,

Farmer-to-Farmer Volunteer I am a late career American businessman. Currently, I volunteer about four times each year with NGOs in developing and middle-income countries. I assist across a range of business disciplines (marketing, sales, strategic planning, and organizational improvement.) Over the past 10 years, I have conducted 55 volunteer assignments in more than 20 countries.

HAF Volunteer An HAF delegation went on February 4th to Demnate, small city in the Azilal province, to the east of Marrakech. The aim of this day trip was to create, in the near future, a tree nursery that could grow up to 100,000 saplings. Demnate, whose population used to be one-third comprised of Jewish

HAF Volunteer On January 15, my journey with Nora to Toubkal Mountains began with much enthusiasm and excitement. On the first day, we headed to the first village, “Missour,” where we felt very welcomed. We tried to create a comfortable environment for families, make the communication as smooth as possible, and establish a good atmosphere

محمد القادري :متدرب مع مؤسسة الأطلس الكبير في يوم الخميس 30 يناير 2020 كانت زيارة لمنطقة أمزميز بحوز مراكش مع السيدة حجيبة بومسمار مساعدة مشروع بمؤسسة الأطلس الكبير والسيد لحسن أيت واتوش وكانت الغاية من الزيارة تشخيص وضع لمدرستين بالمنطقة على أمل اعداد ملف لتهيئة احدى المدارس بالمنطقة من طرف فريق أمريكي متطوع، من خلال

Benefits of Carob Now and Then and Its Potential for Sustainable Development in Morocco. by Nora Martetschläger The carob tree has been appreciated for its various features throughout the ages. Nowadays, people are starting to rediscover this amazing plant. It is both a wild growing forest tree, and an easy to cultivate fruit tree. Because

Hajiba Boumasmar HAF Tree Monitoring Officer On Monday, 20 January, the High Atlas Foundation commemorated the annual day of tree planting when most of the members of the Foundation came out with Moroccan and foreign volunteers to plant organic trees in the various Moroccan provinces: Al-Haouz, Agadir, Youssoufia, Rabat, and Fez. This day saw the

Sanae Benaadim HAF’s Office Manager Every third Monday of January, HAF takes the initiative of planting trees in different places around Morocco. I heard many positive things about this special day back when I was a volunteer. And I wished to be part of it one day! President Dr. Yossef Ben-Meir, USAID Driver Lahcen Ait

يوم وطني نظمته مؤسسة الاطلس الكبير بقلم محمد القادري متدرب مع مؤسسة الاطلس الكبير تحتفل مؤسسة الاطلس الكبير في كل سنة بيوم وطني تسعى من خلاله الى غرس العديد من الاشجار بجل مناطق المغرب لخلق الشعور بالارتباط وتعزيز بناء الشراكات ولما لهذه المبادرة ايضا من اهمية كبيرة سواء من خلال التشجيع على ثقافة التشجيرأو على

By Errachid Montassir Project Manager Every third Monday of January is the High Atlas Foundation’s annual event “Tree Planting Day.” On this date, all staff members and volunteers come together and plant organic fruit trees across nearly a dozen regions in Morocco. My site this year was the Sbaiaat municipality in El youssoufia province, where

By Nic Pantelick HAF Volunteer My Tree Planting Day began with a rain-soaked Marrakech morning. For the first time since I had arrived in Morocco, I felt the chill of winter cutting through me. This biting cold wormed its way past my meager layers and rested an icy hand on the back of my neck.

By Imane Akhezzane HAF Project Manager A l’occasion de la journée nationale de plantation d’arbres qu’organise la fondation du Haut Atlas (HAF) chaque année, j’ai eu la chance de  visiter le lycée d’Asni, le collège, dar Talib, Dar Taliba et Dar Alfatat pour planter 100 arbres amandiers, et grenadiers. Des membres de la direction des