Today marked the 13th annual Tree Planting Day at the High Atlas Foundation (HAF), a day that reminded us that meaningful change often begins with small, sincere actions. It was not an ordinary day, nor was it just another field activity. It was a day that left a quiet yet deep trace, where the earth, the children, and the hands touching the soil seemed to share one genuine moment.

We began the day with a gathering at HAF’s headquarters, bringing together the president, the staff, and us as participants in the Rising Roots program, funded by the Big Heart Foundation (TBHF). The atmosphere was filled with purpose and reflection. During a live session, HAF president, Mr. Yossef Ben-Meir, spoke about the significance of this anniversary and HAF’s ongoing efforts in environmental protection and community empowerment across Morocco. His words offered a deeper understanding of the long term impact of this work beyond a single day, beyond a single tree.

We also connected with staff members who had traveled to different Moroccan cities to plant trees alongside local communities, associations, and schools. These exchanges highlighted an essential truth: tree planting is not only about nature, but about people coming together, sharing responsibility, and building a collective future rooted in care.

Later, our work became more hands-on as we headed to a children’s home in Marrakech, Dar Tifl.

The place was simple, surrounded by warm walls that carried many stories and an even greater need for continuity and care. Within this modest space, we chose a small corner, not wide, not perfect, but enough to become a beginning. There, we began preparing it to become a small nursery, envisioned as a space that would remain alive long after the day ended. It was not merely about seedlings, but about creating a place where responsibility, patience, and environmental awareness could grow alongside the plants.

Then came the moment of planting with the children. It was not precisely organized, nor perfectly executed but it was real. A little girl bent close to the ground, her gloves slightly too big for her hands, yet determined to place the plant herself. She held the soil carefully, almost cautiously, as if afraid of hurting what she carried. In that moment, we were not planting a tree alone, we were planting a feeling of responsibility and belonging.

One moment in particular stayed with me. I planted a tree with a girl named Yasmine, and we decided that the tree would carry her name. The decision was not merely symbolic, it was deeply human. For a child to have a tree that belongs to her, that grows with her, and stands as a witness that she was once here, proves that her small hands left a real mark in the ground. Perhaps she will forget the details of that day, but one day she may return, see a tree bearing her name and understand that she, too, has roots.

After planting, the day continued with simple activities, shared laughter, movement, and moments of lightness. There was no heavy program to follow, only a balance between learning and play. It became clear that this day was not meant to instruct or impress, but to offer joy and presence. These moments strengthened our connection with the children and showed how environmental education can be gentle, engaging, and deeply meaningful.

When the day came to an end and the space slowly returned to silence, it became clear that the trees we planted mattered. But what mattered more was what changed inside us. Because true environmental work is not measured only by the number of seedlings planted, but by what it leaves in people’s hearts. That day, we did not plant trees alone; we planted a quiet sense of calm in children’s hearts, and a gentle reminder on our own that hope sometimes comes in the form of a handful of soil, a small hand, and a tree that carries a name.