By: Ilyass Ajoughlal (YES 2023-2024, Morocco, placed by American Councils in Sacramento, CA)

My time in America introduced me to volunteering. I had never volunteered before, and at first, didn’t see the benefit of spending unpaid time to help others. But after trying it, I realized that helping others made me feel human and brought me a different kind of joy. From assisting people with disabilities to preserving the environment, I found a passion for volunteering.

When I returned to Morocco, I couldn’t find any volunteering opportunities near me. I almost gave up, until I remembered that beautiful feeling of bringing smiles to people’s faces. After days of brainstorming, I decided to start a community club to offer volunteering opportunities focused on climate action for Moroccan youth. The initial steps were straightforward: form a board team, set up social media accounts, create a membership application, and start promoting the club. I reached out to YES alumni and some classmates. They were enthusiastic about the initiative and joined me. Together, we worked tirelessly and completed the first phase.

With my team, we decided to host a forest cleanup for our first event. One of the community’s forests was heavily polluted, so we decided to recruit people to clean up the forest. Throughout the process, I was afraid of failing. Many people told me that no one would want to clean up trash on a Thursday morning. I began to get discouraged, and I almost gave up. But then, I sat down in my late grandfather's garden and recalled something he told me before I went on my exchange year. He said, “Keep pursuing your dreams and don’t let anyone stop you from reaching them.” My grandfather was the most ambitious person I knew. His words ignited a fire in my heart to persevere, no matter what. From that moment, I was confident the event would be a success.

The day arrived, and I used my own pocket money to purchase everything we needed: water bottles, trash bags, plastic gloves, and face masks. I went to the forest and found the first participant - my smile spread across my face! I greeted them and participants kept coming, one after the other. Some of the board team also came and finally we were 9 in total. I felt so proud that everything was working out.

I guided the group to the part of the forest with the most trash. Then, I welcomed everybody and thanked them for coming. I spoke about the mission of the club, and how participants would learn leadership skills throughout the activity. We talked about climate change and how our efforts will have an impact on the environment by preventing pollution and reducing carbon footprint. Then, we kicked off the cleanup!

Everything was running smoothly—participants were socializing and laughing. My role was to supervise, ensuring that everything went well. I motivated them and taught leadership skills while they picked up trash, emphasizing effective communication and teamwork. For example, one person would hold the trash bag while the other discarded the trash. Two hours flew by, and everyone was surprised at how quickly time passed. They enjoyed every second of the activity.

We ended up with 23 full trash bags, which weighed 16 kilograms in total. I congratulated all the participants for their hard work and, more importantly, for their commitment to making a positive impact. With an hour remaining, it was time for the second activity. Days earlier, I had brainstormed ways to encourage the public to stop littering and preserve the environment. I decided to create signs promoting environmental protection and a 'NO' to throwing trash. I distributed a sign to each participant, asking them to choose a visible spot. Still working with their partners, I instructed them to help each other attach the signs to the trees.

Ten signs were posted in visible locations throughout the forest. The event finished; I took a breath and celebrated the success of the event. I thanked the participants once again for making our first event such a resounding success. Then, we conducted brief interviews to gather their reflections and feedback. Et voila, the event was complete!

This experience was incredibly enriching for me. I learned to overcome my fears, break down barriers, and take risks. It taught me to embrace my passions and turn them into meaningful action. My passion for volunteering led me to found a club dedicated to providing volunteer opportunities. I am grateful for my exchange year that taught me leadership skills and to put the needs of my community before my own.