Contributor | ForbesWomen
“I’m very proud because now I’m a powerful woman.”
That simple statement, made by Samira—a 33-year-old Moroccan woman who was married at 15, never had a job and was once too shy to show her face in public—captures the heart of what the High Atlas Foundation is achieving in Morocco. She shared these words with me during my recent volunteer trip to Morocco, and in that moment, her confidence and pride embodied the Foundation’s mission: transforming and empowering not only communities, but women.
Founded in 2000 by Dr. Yossef Ben-Meir, a former Peace Corps volunteer turned development leader, the High Atlas Foundation is a nonprofit headquartered in Morocco. Its mission is to improve the lives of Morocco’s most underserved populations by enabling them to identify their own development priorities—and then working together to make them a reality.
While its agricultural projects have led to the planting of over five million fruit and nut trees across the country and its clean water initiatives have improved public health, the cornerstone of the High Atlas Foundation’s work is women’s empowerment.
Communications Coach | Leadership Consultant | NBC Emmy-Winning Broadcaster