Meet Yassine from Morocco

Yassine is the local ambassador for the Student House of Timahdite, a charity located in the heart of the Middle Atlas Mountains. In this interview, he shares how this volunteer experience has enriched his life.

Hello Yassine, can you introduce yourself briefly?

My name is Yassine, and I am from Morocco. I am keen on cooking, but my guilty pleasure is definitely pastry 😊 Cooking is about sharing and bringing people together, which is why I love food!

My family is near and dear to my heart, and I dedicate most of my spare time to them. They always support me and encourage me to succeed in life.

What is your role in Webhelp?

I started working for Webhelp in January 2007 as an advisor, and then into Training and Quality, then I finally moved into the HR department in 2015. Now, I’m the HR Projects & CSR Manager for Webhelp Morocco.

My role is quite diverse! On the one hand, I’m dealing with our local HR office daily to improve our policy, process, tools, and so forth. The other side of my role is environmental, social, and corporate governance, which I find very exciting. I tackle this from the inside out to ensure the company is keeping up on our commitment as an ethical organization.

What prompted you to volunteer in the program?

As soon as I discovered SHARED in 2019, I knew I wanted to be involved. Think Human Foundation is the continuity of it. We all agree that everyone wants to see change over the world and bring people together. This is what Think Human Foundation is all about: Building ideas and moving them forward until they become significant actions with a tremendous impact on people’s lives!

Can you tell us more about the association you support?

As the winter season ramps up across the country, we often run a donation activity labeled “Warm Winter,” through which our Webhelpers collect clothes and blankets to donate to those in need during the winter months.

In 2019, we visited Dar Taliba in the village of Timahdite, which lies in the heart of the Atlas Mountains, an area with a harsh climate and significant snowfall during winter that makes the roads in this region impassable for weeks.

We had a tour of their premises, and obviously, the shelter lacked some basic accommodations. The roof was in a state of advanced deterioration – re-roofing was essential!

This is how the story began, SHARED helped repair the building, mend the roof, and even install new computer-rooms. That was highly transformative for the students.

Why is it important for you to support this association?

My mother was born in a region with very high snowfall during wintertime, just like the village where the student association sits today. The school was miles away from where she used to live, and she didn’t have the chance to continue her studies. Due to these harsh and unfavorable conditions, she left school at the age of ten.

I kept asking myself: What if there was a shelter like Dar Taliba in her hometown?

I grew up with stories of her picturing herself at school, then graduating and working as a doctor, or sometimes as a teacher! (Well, she was ambitious, and she wanted it all 😊).

I kept asking myself: What if there was a shelter like Dar Taliba in her hometown? What if there was something like Think Human Foundation?

So far, what have you gained the most from this volunteer experience?

It might sound idyllic, but it’s about mental well-being!

The impact we see through the Think Human Foundation projects is heartwarming. I reckon that is a sort of spiritual peace, and I quote Mother Teresa, “Peace begins with a smile.”

What are the key events that marked you as a volunteer?

First, I will always remember the spark in the girls’ eyes at the Student House of Timahdite when they knew the reason for our visit – they saw hope. I bet they were picturing themselves in the renewed building already.

The reaction when they discovered the new building was overwhelming. The repair work took place during the summer holidays. Once back to school, they were excited about their new living places: smiles, happy faces, and jumps for joy. The day they will grow up and have a working life, I want to believe they will be proud to tell about Dar Taliba, an association that remains thanks to Think Human Foundation donations.

This is my Ikigai, and that’s why I like being part of Think Human Foundation.

I will always remember the spark in the girls’ eyes of the Student House of Timahdite when they knew the reason for our visit – they saw hope.