Opening Doors: Empowering Haitians To Attend University

For over twenty years, the Haitian Timoun Foundation has partnered with the Haitian Education and Leadership Program (HELP) to further our collective mission to cultivate hope and transform lives in Haiti. HELP’s focus on developing leaders is vital to a country where less than 1% of students attend university.

WHAT IS THE HAITIAN EDUCATION AND LEADERSHIP PROGRAM? 

The Haitian Education and Leadership Program (HELP) is an organization providing academic scholarships to high-achieving students who face significant financial barriers to accessing higher education in Haiti. Their goal is to cultivate a community of young professionals and leaders dedicated to creating a more just and equitable society in Haiti. 

HTF has been working with HELP because we know that Haiti’s young people have the potential to lead the country toward a more just and equitable society. But they need help overcoming the obstacles that they face. 

HELP Students receive comprehensive support designed to foster both academic success and personal development. This includes full payment of university tuition and fees, access to required textbooks, use of a computer lab with internet access, shared housing and a monthly stipend to cover food and transportation. In addition to these resources, HELP offers training in English, information technology, citizenship, and leadership. Students benefit from personalized academic counseling, access to mental health services, internships and career services throughout their studies.

A group of HELP students graduating from university at the end of their 5-year program.

RECENT CHALLENGES

Gang violence and political instability in Haiti’s capital city of Port au Prince has prevented HELP from bringing new freshmen classes into the program over the past two years and has forced the organization to reimagine how they’re providing services to students in the program. The organization’s Executive Director, Conor Bohan, recently shared that the last year has been the most challenging in the 25-year history of the organization. But HELP has not been swayed from their mission. They are steadfast in their commitment to build a more just society in Haiti by investing in its most promising young leaders. 

HELP’s focus on raising up leaders within Haiti that could lead the country to a more just and equitable society has become even more important in recent years, with immigration restrictions and increased political instability.

The American University of the Caribbean in Les Cayes, Haiti, is HELP’s newest partnership. This campus is where 50 HELP freshmen began their studies this fall.

MAKING ADJUSTMENTS

HELP’s leadership has been challenged to adjust the details of their day-to-day operations, leading to a new partnership with the American University of the Caribbean (AUC) in Les Cayes, where a new freshman class will be enrolled this fall. These students are finding their rhythm in classrooms, forming friendships and learning about leadership service projects, which will strengthen their communities and form the foundations of their futures. They are the first freshmen in two years, and HTF could not be more excited to see these students grow, learn and develop over the next five years. Strong leaders will lead to a stronger Haiti. 

HELP also opened a new student center in Port au Prince, where third- through fifth-year students enrolled in university can continue to learn and study in a safe, more stable environment. The new space enables them to meet with their advisors and continue their English and civic leadership courses in person. Additionally, in this space, HELP will be able to continue fostering the sense of community that defines their program.

The new HELP Center in Port au Prince serves a hub for community for third- through fifth-year students.

MOVING FORWARD

It’s a joy to partner with HELP as they continue to develop the next generation of leaders in Haiti! We believe in their ability to lead a more just and equitable Haiti. We remain committed to their students and their mission; their resilience and flexibility in the face of political instability is a model for us all.

You can read more about HTF’s partnership with HELP.