Sallie first met Mike in 2009 and we just knew we could work together. Mike is now stepping down from day to day trustee work – here’s the announcement from Education for All – we want to say a huge thankyou to Mike and wish him well in his new role.

After many years of service as Chair and as a Trustee, of Education for All Mike is stepping down from the Board – a shift that recognises both EFAM’s continued growth and the strength of the foundations he helped to build.He will now be the Honorary President.

This honorary position celebrates Mike’s extraordinary contribution over nearly two decades and ensures he remains closely connected to EFAM’s mission as a respected ambassador and guiding voice for the organisation’s future.

Mike founded what was then Education For All (EFA) in 2007, after a visit to the High Atlas Mountains where he noticed something that would change the course of his life – and the futures of thousands of girls.

Mike said of the initiative: “We understood that the future of any country is in the hands of those who are young now, through education and expanding their physical and mental horizons. We understood that while we couldn’t take education to the villages, we could build a boarding house next to the secondary schools to allow those girls to study in a safe and secure learning environment a home away from home to become part of Morocco’s future.”

That vision became the very first EFA boarding house in 2007 – the foundation of what is now EFAM. Today, that simple idea has grown into a network of programmes supporting over 500 girls across Morocco each year, consisting of multiple programmes including secondary education, university access, and inclusive education for girls with Down syndrome.

This support has created a full educational pathway for girls who would otherwise have been excluded from schooling beyond primary level. Many of the students who entered the first boarding houses as young teenagers have now completed the entire education cycle, gone on to attend university, and are today working in a wide range of professional careers – from engineering and education to hospitality, science, and cultural arts. Their success stands as a testament to the power of access, opportunity, and the life-changing impact of Mike’s vision.

As Honorary President, Mike will continue to champion EFAM’s mission, offering strategic guidance and serving as an ambassador for the organisation as it scales its impact across Morocco.