Impact Areas
Sports Leadership
Playing sports adds confidence to the students in the small Berber community in the Atlas Mountains. In a school with poor facilities, you will construct a basketball center and teach the students a new sport that they are eager to learn. During a 2-hour school break mid-day, coach students in soccer and basketball to show the importance of teamwork, collaboration, and leadership on the field.
Project runs June 20- July 4
Global Education
Students at Fatima Al Fihriya have a strong desire to learn English - it improves their employment opportunities later in life, and provides an opportunity to learn from volunteers who bring new techniques and fun into the classroom. As you're providing a fun and engaging learning environment for students, you'll also be constructing bookshelves for this school, which currently does not have a library. Feel free to bring your favorite children's books in French, Arabic, or English to share with the class!
Project runs July 4-July 25
The children who attend grades 1 through 6 at the Fatima Al Fihriya elementary school face many challenges in their home and academic lives. Coming from families that support themselves through farming small plots of land or through artisan or woodworking in the nearby cedar forests families lack the funds required to provide their kids with school supplies and warm clothes in winter. Schools also lack money to heat the classrooms, which instead just have a small fire in the back of each room. With 380 students in 10 classrooms, educational resources are scarce and the school lacks appropriate infrastructure, including a library and playground. As a teen volunteer at this Moroccan school, you'll make an enormous impact by either supporting sports leadership programs to enhance the confidence of these children as they grow into leaders within the community, or through supporting educational programs to provide access to books and other resources, as well as English lessons for the student's future employment.
As a High School Volunteer Abroad in Morocco, you’ll be welcomed warmly to the traditional town of Azrou in the Atlas Mountains with your team of global change-makers.
Whether you choose between two, three, and four-week sessions on any of the start dates listed below, you’ll be sharing the experience with a group of your peers, all ages 14-18. Like you, they’ve decided that dedicating their summer to serving others abroad while learning more about themselves is a pretty cool challenge to take on.
And that healthy dose of adventure you’re craving? Don’t worry, you’ll get that too! We know it’s your summer and you want to have amazing stories and photos of the Atlas Cedar Forest and traditional souks (markets) to share with your friends and family back home.
High School Volunteer Abroad Morocco Summer 2019 Start Dates:
June 22, July 20
View Morocco 2019 Teen Recommended Flights
"The children are always eagerly awaiting the arrival of the volunteers and hate to miss any time with them. As a result, the absentee rate has gone down."
"The main task of our volunteers is teaching English. And by doing this, volunteers are promoting the role of women in our society."
"Moroccans have an open heart for foreigners, and the presence of CCS volunteers in our organization has given a new energy to our work."
From Arabic lessons -- learning basic phrases to converse with new local friends, as well as Arabic script calligraphy -- to henna and artisan craft workshops, we’ll help you immerse yourself in Moroccan culture. Through specially-tailored activities, you’ll become more and more acquainted with your new home-away-from home, and better able to engage deeply at your volunteer work assignment.
Lose track of time visiting the famous medina of Fez. Soak up its rich history and culture as you share the narrow lanes with Moroccan shopkeepers, school children, and even the occasional donkey or cow. Visit Fez's giant tanneries, the only place left in the world where traditional leather is crafted, or wander past the oldest university on the planet. Wherever you turn in this historic city, you'll witness the past converging with the present in a rich and vibrant culture.
The cedar forests surrounding Azrou not only provide breathtaking landscapes, but also are an important source of fuel for the community and materials for local artisans. Take a hike through these forests, and catch a glimpse of Morocco's barbary apes in the tree tops.
Morocco is famous for its cuisine, and you'll soon see why. Don't stop at just eating delicious Moroccan food though; make it yourself through our CCS cooking classes. Learn how to use a traditional clay tagine, and even buy one in the market to replicate your new recipes back home. You'll be receiving 'compliments to the chef' in no time!
Journey to Chefchaouen, a northern city famous for the blue hues of its buildings. Explore this historic city, walking past leather tanners and weavers working out of shops along cobblestone streets. Be sure to bring a camera for Chefchaouen’s Instagram-worthy views!
Cross a desert camel trek off your bucket list! Put on your favorite scarf and bright outfit for awesome photographs against a stunning desert backdrop. Then, climb aboard your new dromedary friend for a one-of-a-kind -- and environmentally friendly! -- ride through the Sahara.
Women in Morocco have enjoyed increasing freedoms since independence from France in 1956. However, with female education and literacy rates still significantly lower than males, particularly in rural areas, the traditional gender roles continues to limit opportunities for women. Learn about the role of women in Islam and in Morocco through engaging and intensive discussions and personal interactions.
Lace up your boots for a hike through a nearby cedar forest, famous for its stunning panoramic views, soothing cedar scents, traditional sheep herders, and even occasional glimpses of monkeys!
I fight for the education of vulnerable women, children, and those with developmental disabilities to combat illiteracy and increase opportunities to continue formal schooling.
Growing up in a rural village of Morocco where many children didn’t have the opportunity to attend school, I see myself in many of the children volunteers work with. Very close to home, my mother is also illiterate; and I have seen the impacts of illiteracy on early mortality rates, high fecundity, malnutrition, and high infant mortality. Literacy and education is a key social issue in Morocco to improve the lives and futures of women and children. I was fortunate to earn a degree in Economics & Management and continued my work toward improving my community through the Peace Corps as the Safety & Security Manager, coming full circle from a turning point in my life after meeting a Peace Corps volunteer as a teenager.
I am proud to serve as a humanitarian and educator to promote peace and understanding across a broad range of cultures. As an international leader, my work with volunteers and with my community inspires me to do my part to create a world where every child has the opportunity to pursue an education, and to receive the compassion and love they deserve.
Volunteers are needed year-round from 1-12 week increments. Groups of 4 or more can select their own custom dates and individuals are encouraged to select from the dates below to join a cohort of others.
