Humansof40_Official (2026)

25/06/2020

HAPPIH - Humanitarian Action for Protection and Preservation of Intimate Hygiene - 🇫🇷🇲🇦

A Franco-Moroccan association founded in 2019 which fights against menstrual precariousness and its consequences in Morocco and the rest of Africa. It is a question of public health, gender equality, education and ecology.

In Morocco, 70% of women do not have access to sanitary protections and Morocco is far from being an isolated case, this phenomenon affects 1 in 10 women worldwide. This scourge, which is still a taboo, can, nevertheless, have disastrous consequences on the lives of young girls from disadvantaged backgrounds. However, in this crucial period of their lives, menstrual precariousness is a barrier to their personal development and contributes to their partial school dropout during their period. In addition, the lack of education and awareness on this subject also favors very serious infectious diseases. Menstrual precariousness also contributes to perpetuating inequalities between women and men.

To cope with this, we offer these young girls washable and reusable HAPPIH pads. In addition to the distribution of the kits, our action is built on training led by health and education professionals, dealing with health, educational and social issues around menstrual precariousness.

Today, we carried out our campaigns in 3 Moroccan regions, reached out to 500 girls and distributed nearly 1,500 HAPPIH pads. The goal for the coming year is to reach nearly 1,200 new girls and distribute nearly 5,000 new towels.

At HAPPIH, we consider that in order to live in a more egalitarian society, each young girl must have an equal chance to continue her education without interruption and with dignity. This is why we are fighting against menstrual precariousness.

@ Paris, France

22/06/2020

- From Smara, south of Morocco, to NASA Ames Research Center - 🇲🇦

27 years ago, I was born in a low-income family (

18/06/2020

- Promoting social inclusivity and cohesion - 🇫🇷
“We live in one of the most diverse countries in the world: ages, beliefs, cultures, origins, religions, gender identities, opinions, etc. France is both one and plural. We are the most mixed and interconnected generation in human history. Everyone asks the questions: Why should we focus on social cohesion? How do we create a social bond?

In January 2009, it was during a gathering of all the religious and spiritual communities of the 15th arrondissement of Paris which aimed at combating the importation of hatred while the Israel-Palestine conflict was escalating, that Samuel Grzybowski, founder of Coexister who was 16 at the time, launched a call: "I invite young people to join me so that we can organize a symbolic blood donation. Let’s shed blood for peace and not for war. "
Ten young people, of different faiths, responded and formed the first group "Coexister". The blood donation “Ensemble à Sang%” was launched and has since been a real success. More than 300 people, believers and non-believers, together, gave their blood side by side.

One observation: of all the differences, religious, philosophical and spiritual diversity is one of the most taboo, complex and instrumentalized. Coexister chooses to make it a driving force for learning to live and do together. Jewish, Christian, Muslim, atheist, agnostic or humanist, each conviction can be a lever of solidarity.
By using the levers of the interconvictional and “living and doing together” as means allowing to favor this creation of a bond between citizens, Coexister is unique.

In brief, the association is supported by 11 employees, 20 volunteers in civic service and 2,000 young people committed to serving the general interest. These volunteers set up 1,000 actions in 25 cities in France and have worked, since 2009, with 125,000 young people to deconstruct prejudices and stereotypes.”

# solidarity
@ Paris, France

15/06/2020

- The Olympian Dream - 🇲🇦
There is no favorable wind for those who do not know where to go ... A destination is a lighthouse, the meaning that each gives to his life.
My destination, the goal I have always set for myself, is to participate in the Olympic Games.
As a little girl in my native Morocco, I knew that I would go to the Olympic games. I didn’t know which discipline I was going to practice, or under which banner I was going to parade. All I knew was that I would get there.
Arriving in France at the age of 11 without speaking a word of French, I faced academic difficulties but, carried by friendship, diversity and athletics, I never gave up.
At the age of twenty-two, it was while jogging in my neighborhood that a new opportunity appeared. The commander of the fire station interrupted my run. He believed in my potential. I then became a soldier, a firefighter for the Paris Fire Brigade, the only woman in my barracks.
I dreamed of the Olympics, I entered a sporting profession ... did destiny set in motion towards my dream? ... Changes of life trajectories are never accidental.
After a good integration into the barracks, I discovered judo. I started out of curiosity, I never stopped. After many training sessions, I was able to participate in the military judo world championships. My dream caught up with me. I knocked on the door of the French olympic team. The main door was closed, I took the service door by becoming a sparring partner of the headliners. I kept telling myself, "It doesn't matter, when they see my passion, my desire, they will accept me". But my integration was difficult. At that time, I could have given up, but I decided to accept the difficulty, to bend like bamboo and let the storm pass.” .....Continue in comments

@ Paris, France

11/06/2020

- raising awareness about mental health in sport - by 🇺🇸

"I did not know how successful, or not, Behind The Racquet (BTR) would be, but I had a vision and a dream. I am a New Yorker, so embarking in this type of journey is my DNA. A week after I had this vision, BTR became a brand. It happened so fast, but it was all driven by a great passion that I had. A dream to push the importance of mental health in sports.

There are few platforms that engage in this topic, and I felt that it was very important for me to start this new concept for tennis at first. I am very passionate about photography and journalism, so I decided to mix both and deliver to the tennis world a new outlet for them to express their thoughts and share their experiences
As an athlete you are always asked to give it all or nothing, and sometimes it does not make a full sense, so through BTR I wanted to have an open conversation about this.

In tennis, there is this very high intensity in competition as we all compete against each other. However, now we also have a platform that allows us to speak openly and be vulnerable about our flaws. It is not anymore about who can stand the longest, but really how you manage to survive it. It is important to speak of that part of the process because it is not easy for so many of us on the tour. The mental constraint is so extreme that we often forget to express it while being drained by the weekly travelling. TV interviews do not go in full to speak about such issues, so BTR is taking the lead on that front beyond just the results, the glory and fame on the courts.

As tennis players, we are built around one idea, to play in and travel to tournaments. This will take a long time to change, but my hope is that the upcoming generation of players will be able to shift this trend. With BTR, I almost have a second career, and yet I have not shifted my focus from my tennis. I am still able to give my 100% to both, as I am very passionate about my tennis career and project.

BTR has started a conversation today, but there is still a long road to go to breakdown who we are as athletes and people to get the best out of both." @ New York, New York

08/06/2020

- Be vulnerable, take risks and follow your dreams - 🇲🇦🌏🪐⭐️

“After traveling to all 50 U.S. states, 40+ countries, and staying with over 200 families, the warm hospitality and open-mindedness of the people around the world impacted me greatly and inspired me to bring my own experiences to others.
Here are 4 lessons I’d love to share with all of you:

Find your inspiration and mentors. Embrace and treasure the people you meet, and surround yourself with the ones who inspire you. Take the time to listen to their stories, and see how they made it happen. You will gain new ideas of how to reach out to the world, and it gives you a fresh motivation to do it!

Take risks, make FAST mistakes and learn. I gave myself the freedom to take risks and make mistakes because I learned to also commit to learning from them.

Reach out to the world – travel, talk to strangers. This is how we build bridges. Imagine if we could spread this message of hospitality, a sense of belonging and build community among people anywhere in the world. Your travel experience is only complete if you can Voyaj through people’s stories and relive their memories with them as they narrate them.

Follow your dreams. Be bold, perseverant, determined and resilient. Work hard, open your heart and don’t take no for an answer.”

@ Around The World

04/06/2020

- A sustainable initiative for a sustainable urban living - 🇺🇸

“For a while, I kept thinking that 2020 was going to be a year of defeats and setbacks, nothing was going as planned. But a few weeks ago, I asked myself a question: am I going to take situations that are beyond my control as reasons why I am not “progressing” in life, or am I going use it as an opportunity to do something I’ve always wanted to do?

This is how was born.
Herbanphilia is a platform which advocates for a more sustainable urban world. Nature and cities can live in harmony. In fact, it can drastically improve the livability of our cities. However, leading a sustainable lifestyle can be difficult for urban dwellers, with a lack of access to open space, nature or sustainable choices.

On herbanphilia, I am exploring how we can change that. Through learning how to start an urban garden, documenting the journey towards a low-impact lifestyle, and sharing current urban issues and solutions with you, I hope we can grow a community together! There may still be many problems that we do not yet have answers to, but if we don’t start talking, experimenting, failing, and reflecting, we will not know which path leads to success.”
@ France

04/06/2020

- A sustainable initiative for a sustainable urban living - 🇺🇸

“For a while, I kept thinking that 2020 was going to be a year of defeats and setbacks, nothing was going as planned. But a few weeks ago, I asked myself a question: am I going to take situations that are beyond my control as reasons why I am not “progressing” in life, or am I going use it as an opportunity to do something I’ve always wanted to do?

This is how was born.

Herbanphilia is a platform which advocates for a more sustainable urban world. Nature and cities can live in harmony. In fact, it can drastically improve the livability of our cities. However, leading a sustainable lifestyle can be difficult for urban dwellers, with a lack of access to open space, nature or sustainable choices.

On herbanphilia, I am exploring how we can change that. Through learning how to start an urban garden, documenting the journey towards a low-impact lifestyle, and sharing current urban issues and solutions with you, I hope we can grow a community together! There may still be many problems that we do not yet have answers to, but if we don’t start talking, experimenting, failing, and reflecting, we will not know which path leads to success.”

@ France

01/06/2020

-NO NEED TO HIDE - .travel
“I realized early on there wasn’t much point in putting a mask on-- hiding my “flaws” to try to fit in. The more I tried, the more I felt like an outsider. Taking my mask off, I began connecting with the people around me in a new way. My “flaws” were what people appreciated about me - my eccentricity, my bossiness, my individualism. Embracing myself has helped me connect with people around the world throughout my travels. When I take my mask off, I think others feel more comfortable taking theirs off too".
Ironically, today we all must wear masks. Literally. But it’s a better time than ever to remove our philosophical masks and show our vulnerabilities. We are all entering uncharted waters, but we are doing it together. We are being invited into our coworkers homes on video calls - gazing into their lives in a way we’ve never seen before. It’s humanizing. Every day I feel like I’m able to learn more about the people around me- from afar. It transforms my sympathy into true empathy and understanding.”

And you, are you ready to be yourself ?

28/05/2020

Association Al Amal for Social Integration - by an orphan for all the orphans - .elharraq

My name is Hany El Harraq and my mission is to give every orphan the opportunity to reach their full potential.
I never knew or met family. I grew up at an orphanage where I spent 18 years of my life. I didn't know what would be my destiny. While kids of my age were getting ready to go to university, my challenge was to have a shelter and a living. After 1 year and 8 months being homeless, I managed to find a shelter and decided to go back to school. From that moment on, I promised to myself that I will never let any orphan go through the same challenge I had to experience.
Few years later, at 24 years old, I started the AMAL Association for Social Integration.

This association aims at providing a support system to orphans once they leave care centers. So far, more than 70 graduating orphans have benefitted from this initiative. For instance, the support system aims at helping them in continuing their education, finding a job or building their own families. The association keeps growing and I am very much looking forward to developing a wider support system in collaboration with a larger community, several institutions, and all stakeholders interested in having such a positive impact. here is no human being who deserves to feel homeless and that’s the engagement I want to honor through my association for Orphans.

@ Casablanca, Morocco

25/05/2020

- BE THE ACTOR OF YOUR LIFE - Daquawn Bruce 🇺🇸
Greek philosopher Epictetus wrote “it’s not what happens to you but how you react that matters.”
When I first read this quote I did not really understand it. I never really understood how my reactions to things could matter more than the event itself until the latter end of 2018. It was a year I knew would change my life, but the way it did was beyond anything I could imagine.

The “best year of my life” began great. A few trips abroad, college graduation, and then a big move to DC for my dream career. I felt as though everything was in place and that I was ready to begin the life I dreamed of. Two months into dream job I received a scholarship offer and a few weeks later I found myself heading back home to prepare for graduate school.

However, days after returning to Chicago I became the victim of a drive by shooting, and three months later my closest relative was murdered. The shooting left me unable to walk, and losing one of the people I loved most in this world left me broken. I was devastated, angry, and felt foolish to have given up on my dream.

Nevertheless I persevered, and not only graduated at the top of my class but WALKED across the stage on graduation day. In my darkest moments it was my faith, family and the truth behind the words of Epictetus that enabled me to survive. I realized that life happens unexpectedly, and when it does what defines our future is not the events themselves but rather the perspectives we develop as a result.

Will you accept begin the victim or will you choose to be the victor and overcome?

@ Kenosha Wisconson

25/05/2020

De l'Allier aux Grandes Écoles(DAGE) - Promotion of equal opportunities for all 🇫🇷 “I was born and raised in Moulins-sur-Allier, a small town in the rural department of Allier, France. Proud of my origins and convinced that my childhood in the countryside was a source of great fulfillment, I have always been sad and revolted when young people say "I cannot do it because I come from a lost territory”, or when young - and the not so young - people claim that Allier is a sluggish territory, a territory where there is nothing to do.
In response to this, I have been contributing for the past 3 years to the development of an association, "De l'Allier aux Grandes Écoles" which has two main objectives: the promotion of equal opportunities and the revitalization of the territory.
With regard to the first objective, the volunteers are young active people from Allier who believed in their dreams and who are now ready to help high school students in Allier. These volunteers become, within the association, “godparents” of young high school students who want support in the construction of their professional career (advice for the CV, cover letter, job interviews, etc.) Regarding the revitalization of the territory, we are developing partnerships with local businesses in order to enhance them, to open their doors to high school students and young workers, and to encourage them to participate in financing scholarships annually awarded to few high school students for their higher education.
There is an urgent need to communicate about the potential of the countryside for young people and encourage them, no matter where they come from, to believe in their ambitions ... DAGE does it!” 🇫🇷
And you, how do you help young people from your home community?

@ L'Allier

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