Women's Empowerment — High Atlas Foundation

Women's Empowerment

We place women’s empowerment at the center of our projects, supporting their development as leaders able to imagine and implement a pathway to social and economic vitality.

A Multi-dimensional Approach

We believe that supporting and empowering women is a crucial first step to all community development. Our projects typically start with a community IMAGINE workshop that encourages and equips women to have emotionally healthy discussions that expand their confidence and self-agency while identifying personal goals and priorities.

In addition to our IMAGINE workshops, our Cooperative Building programs provide women with business knowledge and opportunities across agricultural and artisanal markets. Our Legal Clinic program provides free clinics designed to educate Moroccan women on their rights.

We believe that empowering women empowers families. This perspective drives our Family Literacy program. Going beyond women’s empowerment, this program addresses the literacy and numeracy needs of rural women, girls, and young children. The program also incorporates early childhood development and parenting classes.

IMAGINE Workshops

We begin every community development project with a women’s empowerment workshop facilitated by Moroccan women. These workshops aim to expand capacity by identifying personal priorities and goals. Since 2017, we have conducted over 130 IMAGINE workshops in 25 provinces with over 3,000 women.

These interactive workshops, led by highly trained facilitators, provide a clear pathway for women to grow as leaders of their communities, helping them develop and implement strategies for economic, social, and environmental vitality.

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Psychosocial Therapy

Our group psychosocial therapy fosters resilience and equips people with strategies for emotional and mental recovery. Through various activities and discussions, the workshop helps people rebuild a sense of self in the wake of grief and disaster. It is a crucial first step toward the work of rebuilding lives and livelihoods.

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Cooperative Building

After IMAGINE empowerment workshops, many participants choose to launch cooperatives in their communities as a financial stimulus and social network. We come alongside these women to support cooperatives, often bringing in expert volunteers to provide training and problem-solving.

Following our philosophy of community-led sustainable development, cooperatives are planned and implemented by the women of the community. Many of the cooperatives choose to focus on agriculture, building fruit tree nurseries for local sale and distribution. The result is value-added products and processing, artisan crafts, and textile production that they are able to take to market.

Legal Clinics

The Legal Clinic program initiates collaboration between Moroccan universities and underserved communities to increase equitable access to legal information, legal aid, and socio-economic integration in marginalized communities, specifically among women, youth, migrants, refugees, asylum-seekers, and survivors of trafficking.

Since the beginning of the program in 2009, our Legal Clinics have worked with 8 Moroccan universities, establishing 2 legal aid clinics in Fes and Marrakech. We are now launching the third iteration of the program in Oujda.

Family Literacy

Supported through the European Union’s EuropeAid initiative, our Family Literacy program grew out of community meetings where women collectively identified education and capacity-building as a main priority. The program has provided women in Beni Mellal, Khenifra, Fquih Ben Saleh, Azilal, Al Haouz, Rhamna, Chichaoua, and Essaouira with literacy classes, empowerment workshops, and technical skills training.

“Women in our cooperative are hard workers, but they used to be shy to meet customers and that created problems in selling our products. After they began the literacy training, I understood that ladies could meet customers, discuss our items with assurance, and persuade them to purchase by utilizing more effective communication.”Hafida, President of Wardat Al Atlas Cooperative

“As a mother of three, I have been busy working at home for many years. Now I am able to participate in empowerment training that helps me to discover that I have great capacities and skills that I would like to use outside of the house.”IMAGINE workshop participant

“I am an old lady who can no longer prepare couscous nor craft carpets. However, I am hopeful that you can help me with reading and writing. I want to fight illiteracy!’’IMAGINE workshop participant

“I was born in a rich family and was never introduced to ‘money-saving.’ When you tackled the topic of money, I thought that I should reconsider my relationship with money as a cooperative president and start thinking about saving money.”Rhimou, President of a cooperative

"I determine my priorities as I want and I take care of my body, which enables me to do household chores and my duties towards my children.”IMAGINE workshop participant

“By using the empowerment tools in my daily life, my life is starting to improve and I have a peaceful mind.”IMAGINE workshop participant

Measurable Outcomes

Discover the benefits of our programs.

600+

community members’ awareness of their rights, responsibilities, and resources related to Moroccan law and family code were strengthened in 2021 legal clinic in partnership with Cadi Ayyad University

800+

women and young girls who can read, write simple sentences, and perform foundational arithmetic calculations for the first time after participating in classes through our Family Literacy program in Mellal-Khenifra and Marrakech-Safi regions

40

jobs created for young women as literacy instructors with our Family Literacy program, building their capacity as educators through training and experience

Success Stories

Learn about how our women’s empowerment programs have benefitted people, families, and communities.

Boukidar Farmers Union

In the rugged landscape of Boukidar, a union of women is transforming dairy farming through innovation and determination.

Supporting Entrepreneurs in Demnate

After investment by local and global partners, Taslit Nourtane is a thriving cooperative with steady income, plans for expansion, and a commitment to empowering their community to do the same.

Life in Small Things: Siham's Daily Routine

As she spent time reflecting on her personal goals during the IMAGINE workshop, Siham experienced a profound shift in her perspective.

Resources

Get more in-depth information about our Women’s Empowerment program.

Inflating Pressures

In the IMAGINE women’s workshop that we visited this week, the facilitators of the High Atlas Foundation used balloons to represent stress.

Healing Beyond the Earthquake: Empowering Trauma Survivors and Creating Change in the Mellah

The High Atlas Foundation continues its program to provide psychosocial empowerment to earthquake-affected communities in the aftermath of the Al Haouz earthquake. This time, HAF chose to extend its support to another urban community severely impacted by the disaster, specifically the residents of the historic Jewish quarter in Marrakech, the Mellah.

Out of Difficulties Grow Miracles

In April 2023, and at the request of Hassan Belhcen who is the Director of the National Park of Khenifra, a group of women from Merdhal Amane village of the Aguelmem Azegza municipality in the province of Khenifra joined HAF’s Family Literacy Program (funded by the E.U.). They were a group of 30 enthusiastic women whose dream was to be economically active and help their families to live a better life.