With the goal to gather representatives from several IEEE AFRICAN SECTIONS to share their stories and experiences in conceiving and implementing humanitarian projects, the IEEE Morocco Section Held its first ever IEEE HAC eventt ‘HUMANITARIAN SUCCESS STORIES IN AFRICA SUMMIT’ in Marrakech & Ouarzazate the 24th and 25th of October 2018. During this summit, distinguished speakers from diverse backgrounds presented different Humanitarian projects, and discuss the problems and issues they encountered during the development of their ideas.

During the first day, the summit brought together researchers working in the field of children with learning disabilities, with the aim to present and understand solutions developed to support rehabilitation of children with Autism and Dyslexia for reading deficiencies. There have been also talks by Moroccan IEEE groups working on communities’ projects, Sight and HAC projects leaders from Africa and the official talk about the ingredients for a successful humanitarian initiative by the HAC committee Chair, Paul Cunningham.

During the exhibition, Tunisia and Egypt representatives presented their SIGHT projects and shared their experiences, as well as the Moroccan student branches who talked about humanitarian projects for Moroccan remote villages. Two final technical talks about HAC initiatives and SIGHT have enabled a constructive discussion between participants, and a fruitful sharing of ideas, vision and experiences.

The second day of the summit was devoted to a visit of an important local ONG in Ouarzazate called ‘Horizon’. The latest empowers individuals with disabilities by providing them with medical assistance and technical training. The visit was an opportunity to discuss how HAC initiatives can provide support to this kind of ONGs, and how sustainability can be ensured for the projects that can be launched in collaboration with this kind of nonprofit organization.

This summit has allowed the initiation of a collaboration between Local ONGs, IEEE HAC, and other IEEE groups in Tunisia, Egypt and Uganda. Such actions help to create synergies and collaborate within IEEE groups to develop joint humanitarian initiatives that meet better the needs of the respective local communities, actions that can endure on a 100 years period.

During the exhibition, Tunisia and Egypt representatives presented their SIGHT projects and shared their experiences, as well as the Moroccan student branches who talked about humanitarian projects for Moroccan remote villages. Two final technical talks about HAC initiatives and SIGHT have enabled a constructive discussion between participants, and a fruitful sharing of ideas, vision and experiences.