A Graduating Student Reflects
My name is Yoldy Jacques Simon. I was born in Bombardopolis, in northwestern Haiti, the youngest of five children. My mother was a vendor in a local market, and my father was a carpenter. I attended primary school in Bombardopolis but in October 1998, I left my hometown to go to Port-au-Prince for secondary school.
Education has always been an important aspect of my life. At secondary school, I was committed to my studies and I was always at the top of the school’s honor roll. One subject I really loved was an introductory computer course, which sparked my passion for the world of technology. I graduated in 2005 and was ready to go to university. Private universities were too expensive for my family to afford, especially with my mother continuing to support five children on her own after my father left us. I was admitted to the Faculty of Science at the State University of Haiti in Fall 2005 and planned to study electrical engineering. Unfortunately, a few months later, I fell ill and was forced to withdraw from university. During my recovery, I learned about, and applied to, HELP and was admitted for the 2007-2008 school year. With my acceptance to the program, I felt that a new air was blowing in my life, my vision for a career in information technology was getting stronger every second, and the door to success was opened.
With HELP, I received many resources that allowed me to get to where I am today – about to graduate with a degree from the Computer Science Institute of Haiti. HELP has provided me with all the support necessary for my university career, such as school fees, access to a computer lab and internet, a library, a stipend for transportation and other basic needs, English and leadership as supplementary courses that have already helped me in my personal and professional life, and a counselor who has guided me throughout my academic career.
During my time at HELP, I have been able to meet many important people, such as Former President Bill Clinton, and Former Prime Minister of Haiti Michelle Pierre-Louis, who visited the Student Center to learn about the program and share their visions for a stronger Haiti. In addition to visits like these, HELP looks for all kinds of opportunities to expand students’ horizons, such as internships, study abroad, and other career development activities. As a computer science student, I benefited from the NetHope Academy training program, where I received a Microsoft training certification and was assigned to an internship providing IT support to an NGO working on earthquake recovery assistance in Haiti. These experiences have reinforced my passion for computer networking, and will give me an advantage as I look to join the workforce.
My dream for the future is to serve my community, my country, and its people. I dream of contributing my skills to my hometown, and to Haitian society in general. I hope to improve Haiti’s education system using network technology, which can increase the availability of resources to young people, connect schools, and help to decentralize governmental resources. I truly believe that the more educated people there are in Haiti, the more feasible development will become. HELP has shown me that education is the light of any society.