Staff Spotlight: Marie Josephine Brice (management & finance ‘17)
Student, Alumnus, Advisor, Accountant
Marie Josephine Brice is the newest member of HELP’s finance team, but she is no stranger to HELP! In 2013, Josephine finished high school and was selected for a HELP scholarship. “This opportunity was crucial for me,” she says, “because it was a particularly difficult stage in my life. My family had lost everything in the 2010 earthquake and my father was very ill. In spite ofeverything, I was determinedand motivated, looking for opportunities to build a better future. When I found out I was accepted to help, I was proud of my accomplishment and I felt, finally, a glimmer of hope.”
“Throughout my time at HELP the advising service was the most important tool, I took full advantage of this service and felt supported and heard whenever I had a problem. But, my favorite thing was communal life. Living together taught me to cultivate tolerance, mutual aid, and self-control. Honestly, it wasn’t easy at first, because I was surrounded by strangers, but over time they became my friends, my family. When I think back to my time as a HELP student, I hear bursts of laughter, moments of joy, and lively discussions.”
Two years after graduation, Josephine had grown interested in human resources management while working at Special Olympics Haiti. A job opening on the HELP advising team felt like the perfect next step and Josephine applied. “It was the ideal opportunity, aligning with my professional objectives and allowing me to contribute more closely to HELP’s mission. The essence of an advisor's job is to provide psychosocial support to the students and carry out the administrative tasks that keep the student services running. What I loved most about the job was witnessing the success of the students, especially my advisees. I cannot express the happiness I felt when one of my students achieved good grades, completed a good project, or received a good review from a teacher or internship supervisor!”
“After four years as an advisor, it was time to explore new horizons and orient my career closer to my field of study.” As luck would have it, at just this moment HELP had an opening in the Finance department! Josephine applied and was selected to fill the role. “Since taking the position in March, I am convinced that it was the right decision; the experience is extraordinary and rich. I’m mastering accounting skills (I’m really enjoying learning INTACCT accounting software) and witnessing the daily sacrifices made by the finance team to maintaingood fiscal management of the organization. My days are always busy and require meticulous planning, which sometimes must be set aside if an emergency comes up.”
“HELP is one of the best choices of my life thanks to the extraordinary people I have met. When I arrived in 2013, everyone was a complete stranger. Now, I have good friends, good collaborators; I have a family. I am forever grateful for this noble opportunity that changed my life and made me the person I am today. I hope that HELP will always have funding to help talented and hardworking young people living in difficult situations in Haiti, so that we can build the more just Haiti that we always wanted.”