By Hanane Lahdar and Kaitlyn Waring
The work of the High Atlas Foundation (HAF) may seem inspiring from an outside perspective, especially efforts to empower Moroccan women to dream of the futures they want and take steps to achieve them. But only those who look closer, who truly witness how this work happens, will understand the depth of it; behind every successful women’s cooperative lies a story of connection, trust-building, and deep community engagement.
Women who were once silent begin to speak, lead, and transform not only their own lives but the lives of those around them. The first and most essential step begins with one person, often a facilitator, who travels to remote communities. They sit with the people, they listen, and they engage in deep, meaningful conversations.
In these moments, needs are expressed and feelings and emotions are exchanged. From these interactions come workshops that are built around sincere honesty and healing. They’re held with villagers, especially with women from different generations, to inspire women of all ages to speak freely about their personal and professional goals.
The facilitators don’t just teach; they listen. They help women rediscover how they see themselves, what they believe they’re capable of, and how they can start dreaming again.
Through these vulnerable conversations, something beautiful is created and nurtured: trust. And with trust comes new visions; ideas that can grow into real projects that improve lives economically and socially. For many women, their biggest dreams revolve around building financial independence, confidence, and a project that they can call their own. Cooperative building offers a pathway for women to achieve these goals, and HAF’s work with rural women has facilitated their successful creation of a number of cooperatives.
Making the Journey to Igg
No matter the weather or the distance, HAF facilitators travel to villages with the purpose of inspiring hope and strength among women to follow through on dreams that are within their grasp, such as cooperative creation. During my one year of working with HAF, I’ve had the privilege of observing several women’s workshops led by HAF facilitators.
One in particular left a lasting impression on me as a workshop that was not just informative but truly transformative for myself and the participants. It reminded me that I’m not just doing a job; I’m part of a much bigger process, something truly meaningful. In May, I joined Souad, a facilitator who has worked with HAF since 2022. She has led countless workshops, helped shape voices, and changed lives, especially through HAF’s family literacy programs. Her work has directly empowered women to believe in their worth, their skills, and their ability to succeed in any endeavors they take on.
This time, we traveled to Igg, a village that lies between the High Atlas Mountains in the Aghbar commune of the Al Haouz Province, about five hours from Marrakech. We left early in the morning, passing through village after village where HAF has already left its mark with flourishing projects.
When we finally reached Igg, the women were already waiting for us. The atmosphere was calm, welcoming, and full of warmth. It wasn’t my first visit to the villages, but this one felt different, more personal and profound.
After lunch and tea, Souad gathered the women to begin the participatory approach process. She organized the session with firmness and care, all on her own. I couldn’t help but admire her confidence and strength as she led with both authority and compassion. It was clear that this wasn’t just a job for her either. It was a mission.
Breaking Barriers for Sincere Expression
To break the ice, Souad started with a simple question: “How are you today?” From that moment, something magical happened: smiles, laughter, touches on the shoulder, warmth. Although the question was simple, it represented more than just a greeting; it was a connection.
Souad divided the women into small groups, asking each to express their needs and ideas by drawing a community map. The goal was not just to collect individual answers but to uncover shared priorities among the group where the women could relate to each other. Using colorful markers and paper, the women began drawing how they saw their villages, including the assets they already had and what they felt they were missing. Some hopes were simple yet deeply meaningful: houses, mosques, schools, and wells. Others were more complex, sensitive, intangible, and emotional.
When the drawings were complete, each group presented their map. They spoke about their challenges, dreams, and visions they held for their village and families. Souad listened carefully and gathered their responses into a single, collective picture.
From these maps, she identified not only the women’s needs, but also their skills, what they could do with their hands, what they could create, what cooperatives they could launch, and what products they could bring to life. It was a moment of empowerment, allowing the women to see how ideas they once believed were impossible can be translated into productive cooperatives and livelihoods.
There was an important lesson in this visit too: it’s not just about collecting every idea. To truly succeed in building a cooperative or any other dreams the women have, we need to focus on one clear, meaningful, collective goal. Something that may not change today, but can create lasting change for generations.
A Vision Realized
By the end of the day, we helped the women see what was most important to them, starting with the idea of creating a cooperative. They agreed to meet again in the next few days to keep the energy going
and decide exactly what kind of cooperative they want to build. This step would help them use the existing resources and skills in their village to create something useful and lasting. In the end, they were
feeling more motivated and ready to take action than ever, not stuck in doubt or helplessness but moving forward with confidence.
Proven Results
During my trip with Souad, we also visited two existing, successful women’s cooperatives that HAF helped launch, one in Ouidrarn village and the other in Tinmel village. Both cooperatives have received support and resources, including sewing machines, and are now producing biodegradable sapling sacks for the tree planting projects that HAF implements. Souad and I visited the women at their workplaces, observed how they work, saw their immense progress, and motivated them to keep going.
We left the women feeling hopeful. It was a powerful moment. I saw in their eyes what I’ve always believed: that HAF’s work in empowering women is important and can make a big difference in creating transformative change.
Looking Towards the Future
What was also clear to me is that hope and strength can most easily be inspired in women by other women who share similar dreams and face similar challenges. In a world where women’s abilities, skills, and right to stand up for themselves are constantly being questioned and threatened, this strength and power inherently lives within each individual, always there waiting to be fully utilized. Sometimes all it needs is a soft, small push.
That is precisely what HAF aims to do through its empowerment program. This program has already led to the creation of many cooperatives and the societal benefits that come along with them, and HAF is seeking to support even more.
As International Day of Cooperatives approaches, now is the time to stand with these women, listen to them, believe in them, and support their journey. With just a little help, they can build something powerful, not only for themselves but for their entire communities.
Hanane Lahdar is a Reporting Officer and Kaitlyn Waring is a Program Manager at the High Atlas Foundation.
