Celebrating a Multi-Year Partnership with Barbancourt

Since 1862, Rum Barbancourt has brought a taste of Haiti’s culture, independence, and entrepreneurship to people all over the world. At home, Barbancourt’s leadership extends beyond the walls of the distillery. While Haiti lacked a strong tradition of corporate philanthropy, the late Barbancourt President, Thierry Gardère, was quick to write the first check after meeting Country Director Garry Delice in 2007. "I asked what convinced him to make that first contribution," Garry recalls, "he said that he always believed in education for change, that Haiti cannot take off without an educated population."

Following Thierry’s untimely death in 2017, his daughter Delphine Gardère has taken over as CEO of the company. As the fifth generation of her family to lead the company, she continues her father and Barbancourt’s legacy of giving back. In honor of Thierry and of HELP’s 25th anniversary, Barbancourt has just announced a five-year pledge! This partnership will support three full, five-year scholarships and establish the Thierry Gardère Recruitment Center at HELP.

The Recruitment Center will be the hub of HELP’s annual nationwide tour of hundreds of schools and scores of media outlets spreading the message that staying in school and studying hard leads to more opportunities, including those available at HELP. Often cited by students as the day their futures changed, HELP recruitment visits are a key part of our strategy to seek out and inspire the next generation and we are pleased to partner with Barbancourt in this effort.

Thierry’s vision and investment are slowly coming full circle as Barbancourt currently counts two HELP alumni among its employees. This generous pledge roots Barbancourt in the past, present, and future of HELP and HELP students. Delphine concludes, "As we continue to believe in a brighter future for Haiti, we are convinced that investing in HELP is the right approach and one that proudly honors my father’s legacy."