Education is never complete without experience. This is why when I received the letter of acceptance into the Civic Engagement program funded by the US Department of states and run by Institute for Training and Development (ITD) I was thrilled, ad my mind instantly filled with lot of questions. I was selected along with 16 professional fellows from Morocco with different experiences and backgrounds; giving me the feeling of being in two professional programs by learning from my Fellows from Morocco and the American counterparts’ organizations. I have always been interested in organizing and how it works in US. My main interest in the program is to be placed in an Organization that works on community organizing and brings attention to local issues and empowers people address them and put pressure on the decision makers.

I was so lucky to be placed in an AMAZING Non-Profit Organization called Pioneer Valley Project in Springfield, Massachusetts (PVP), an organization of people and institutions including labor unions among other organizations.  The PVP approach is that people should have a say in the policy decision that shape their lives. During my fellowship I have learned so Much. The PVP staff is lovely and they are amazing human beings. They are very supportive and making sure that I am learning and not missing out on any useful information. Ms. Tara Parish and Ms. Emily Rodriguez always take me to their meetings and introduce me to people in the community. I got a chance to attend the Delegates meeting that PCV organizes as way of making decisions in a participatory and democratic way and have everyone’s voice heard. Another taken lesson from my host Organization PVP is to listen to people to understand, not to reply.