Today marks the start of the Rise Ultra marathon event where runners from around the world have arrived in Morocco to take on a 60km course through the High Atlas Mountains. The official race takes place on Saturday, October 10, but welcome festivities and community impact visits have just begun.

They are running for communities still rebuilding after the September 2023 earthquake, which claimed nearly 3,000 lives and devastated villages across the region. For more than 20 years, we have worked alongside rural communities in Morocco, and since the earthquake we have shifted our programs to support participatory, sustainable recovery. That means working with villages as partners, from restoring water supplies to rebuilding homes and livelihoods.

The Rise Ultra connects that work with a global community of runners. Each participant has created a personal fundraising page, and every donation goes to the High Atlas Foundation and the communities we serve. Some are tackling their first ultramarathon. Others are returning to the trails after a long injury recovery, or running as a guide and runner pair across rugged mountain terrain. Many will also spend time with an earthquake-affected village before the race, seeing the rebuilding efforts firsthand.

Their reasons for running are different, but they share a belief that a hard day in the mountains can make a lasting difference for the people who live there.

You can be part of it, too. Visit our Rise Ultra page to read the runners’ stories and support a fundraiser. If you can’t give right now, sharing a page with friends and family helps just as much.

Please follow along as the runners take on the High Atlas. We’ll be cheering for every one of them.