My Nonprofit Reviews

As an Intern at the High Atlas Foundation, the months May and June has been very enriching for me. I have participated in various projects, and my main focus has been on working with High Atlas Agriculture and Artisanal (HA3) and the Walnut Factory in the commune of Asni in the High Atlas Mountains.

Together with my colleagues I have created a brochure that was used as an information sheet at the Walnut festival in Asni, 12th June till 14th June. I selected the pictures for the front page and wrote the text that would be used in the brochure. After that I completed the brochure together with HAF Director of Development, Jacqueline Seeley, HAF Intern Miranda LaBrash and the Riad Saba Guest House manager, Brahim. This cooperation is the first step in a new approach planned by the HA3 – Tourism for Development.

It was an especially valuable working experience to cooperate with Ignacio Ruiz, General Manager of the HA3, with various tasks relating to preparing the Walnut Festival. Together with Ignacio I created a film that was shown to the governor of the Tensift-Al Haouz region during the Walnut festival. I also assisted Ignacio in various minor tasks, such as printing the labels for the oil bottles.

I have conducted various social media activities such as writing a Swedish blog post that will be posted on the High Atlas Foundation’s blog in order to spread awareness about the organization in Sweden. I interviewed on film the factory manager Hassan Inflass, filmed by Interns Miranda LaBrash and Hannah Rickard, which will be used for social media purposes.

Currently I am working on a promotion campaign that will be launched in Sweden for the sale of walnut oil and the planning for the new approach launched by the HA3 – Tourism for Development.

As an Intern at the High Atlas Foundation, I am able to apply my previous practical experience of working for sustainable development in Tanzania, and my previous theoretical knowledge from my masters in Development Studies that I did in the Netherlands. In addition, I am learning several new aspects of developmental work in practice, specific to the context of Morocco.

Besides this I have also been given the opportunity to work with development workers from various parts of the globe. The team spirit at HAF is fantastic, and I am learning more and more by the day.

Thank you everybody at the HAF team.

Jamal Sebnat
HAF Interm