Empowering Moroccan Youth – HAF Experience
Morocco, like many countries in the region, faces growing challenges related to youth unemployment and unstable work opportunities, especially in rural areas. Although Moroccan youth have strong potential to become leaders in innovation and development, many still lack access to practical opportunities and hands-on experience that can help them build a stable future.
At the same time, Morocco is moving more and more toward a green economy through renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, ecotourism, and natural resource management. Because of this, preparing young people for green jobs and sustainable careers has become more important than ever.
In this context, HAF continues its commitment to empowering Moroccan youth by strengthening their technical, leadership, and management skills across the agricultural and environmental value chain — from tree nurseries and medicinal plants to cooperative development, certification, and professional training.
HAF works closely with Moroccan universities, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the Ministry of Education, as well as Cadi Ayyad University in Marrakech, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University in Fez, Mohammed First University in Oujda, Ibn Zohr University in Agadir, the Water and Forest Department, and several local youth associations and cooperatives.
Building on years of experience in community development programs, HAF has launched several initiatives designed to help young Moroccans become active leaders in their communities.
Between 2023 and 2025, the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) program engaged around 40 young women from local communities. The program provided training in natural resource management, gender equality, participatory planning, and decision-making, while also involving participants in the distribution and planting of fruit trees and medicinal plants from the foundation’s nurseries.
HAF also launched legal clinic programs in partnership with the Faculties of Legal, Economic, and Social Sciences in Fez, Marrakech, and Oujda, in addition to working with students from the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Ibn Zohr University in Agadir. These programs aim to connect academic learning with real community engagement and field practice.
Since the legal clinic in Fez started in 2019, more than 170 students have benefited from practical training and field support while also helping to address legal cases related to migration, family mediation, and entrepreneurship. In Marrakech, between 2022 and 2024, the program involved more than 67 university students and 45 associations, benefiting over 300 people through mobile legal clinics and field-based training sessions.
In Oujda, HAF launched the first legal clinic program in partnership with Mohammed I University to encourage youth participation in civic engagement and community service. The first cohort, which ran from February 2024 to February 2026, engaged 43 students and 20 associations, while benefiting more than 144 people through legal consultations provided during 12 mobile legal clinics and field-based training sessions. To ensure the continuity and long-term impact of the program, a second cohort was launched in March 2026 with the participation of 58 students, further strengthening youth engagement in community service and civic action.
As part of promoting participatory planning and teamwork, HAF also worked with nearly 200 students from the Faculty of Arts and Humanities in Agadir through a series of workshops organized between December 2024 and February 2026. The workshops focused on community mapping, identifying priorities, and practical planning for student-led projects within the university environment.
In addition, HAF supported 24 young men and women through the “Rising Roots Morocco” residency program, which ran from September 2025 to April 2026 and included eight months of residential training and hands-on learning. The program focused on leadership, environmental action, sustainable development, and social entrepreneurship through field activities such as tree planting, volunteering, community dialogue, and the design of community-based projects, while also providing continuous mentorship and guidance throughout the experience.
What makes HAF’s approach truly unique is its belief that young people are not simply beneficiaries of development, but active partners in creating it. By creating practical learning spaces, mentorship opportunities, and real community engagement, the foundation helps youth build confidence, strengthen their skills, and transform their ideas into meaningful impact within their communities.
