Alumni Spotlight By Jacqueline Andre (management '20)
I joined HELP in 2015. Since then, I have met extraordinary people from all 10 provinces in Haiti. My class at HELP is named “TRIPP” (T for Travail [Work], Respect, Intelligence, Perseverance, Progress). We always say that if we work with respect and intelligence and we persevere in what we do, we will surely make progress.
Even though we don’t live in the HELP centers together anymore, we still maintain close connections with each other. We so enjoy spending quality time together.
At least once a year, we organize get-togethers. During a recent reunion, one of us suggested, “Why not leave the capital for a while and make a trip to one of our provincial cities?” We decided to visit Cap-Haitian and discover a part of our country while we had fun!
There were six of us representing the class: five of us traveled from the capital. Verlanda, our sixth classmate, lives in Cap-Haitian and was a gracious host to all of us.
On our trip, we also visited some nearby sites including:
The Citadelle Laferrière: this fortress was built between 1805 and 1820, after the people of African descent in Haiti led a successful revolution to rid themselves of their colonial slaveholders and declare their independence from France. It took 15 years and 20,000 people to build.
Vertières: located near the city of Cap-Haitian, this is the site of a decisive battle in Haitian history and symbolizes the path to the country's independence.
Cormier Beach: the beach was beautiful! It had fine, soft sand and turquoise colored sea water.
Boulevard du Cap-Haitien: this is the main street of Cap-Haitien. It’s about 2 km long, near the water. There are many economic activities, restaurants, open air cinema, and bars.
It was extraordinary. Cap-Haitian is peaceful, and everyone moves about freely. In the center of the city, I was very surprised to see houses without big walls and gates! It was a regal experience.
This trip allowed us to appreciate our country more and to see the opportunities that are hidden where others see only misery. It showed us that we can do great things in our country if we work together.