Alumni interview: Jean Maurice Dumas

Fédorah Pierre-Louis, HELP's Career Services & Alumni Affairs Coordinator, catches up with Jean Maurice Dumas (computer science ’07), who fills us in on the exciting things he’s been up to recently.

Fédorah Pierre-Louis (HELP): Tell us a little bit about your background.

Jean Maurice Dumas: I was born in Cité Soleil, the oldest of four children. My father worked at a state-owned mill as a carpenter, but he lost his job after the government was overthrown in 1991. To take care of the family, he worked odd jobs and my mother sold food in the streets.

I took my studies seriously from a very early age. I knew that, given my situation, it was the only way for me to realize my dreams. Because I lived in Cité Soleil, I knew very hard times. These difficulties mainly originated from confrontations between armed gangs in the area. Sometimes there were entire weeks when I could not go to school because it was too dangerous to leave the house. When my mother fell ill, our already precarious economic situation collapsed altogether. I started teaching private lessons to students from more well-off families to earn a little money. But these obstacles only strengthened my conviction and my determination to work harder and to stay at the top of my class.

HELP: How did you come to HELP?

Dumas: I received my high school diploma in 2002, and the following year I learned about HELP from Salomon Asmath, a friend of mine who was a HELP student and who was also from Cité Soleil. Given my strong academic record, Salomon persuaded me to apply to HELP, and the next year I enrolled at the Information Science Institute of Haiti (ESIH), studying computer science. In addition to my courses at ESIH, I took English classes at HELP and assisted with various administrative tasks, from cleaning the Student Center to organizing student records. At HELP, I learned that everything worth doing must be done well.

HELP: What happened after graduation?

Dumas: After earning my bachelor's degree in 2007, I was hired as a computer technician at HELP, where I worked for three years. This was a very enriching position, as it allowed me to gain professional experience and a greater understanding of the technical and organizational responsibilities of an IT expert. In 2010, I received a scholarship from the French Embassy to pursue my Master’s degree in communication and information systems design at Université Paul Sabatier in Toulouse.

HELP: What was it like going to France?

Dumas: My studies in France allowed me to develop skills in designing and developing information systems, networking, and telecommunications. The first year was very difficult because I had to complete prerequisites for many subjects. But I worked very hard and always kept in mind HELP’s motto: Ability + Will + Opportunity = Success. I got an internship at the prestigious National Scientific Research Center, where I worked for six months. The second year of my program was even more demanding, with a major project in the first semester and another internship in the second semester. For that internship, I helped to develop a system for clients, such as banks, telephone companies, etc., that allowed them to pay bills, generate electronic invoices, report problems in the system, and track real-time statistics related to their accounts.

HELP: So, now that you’re back in Haiti, what’s next?

Dumas: Yes, I just returned to Haiti in September, and ESIH has asked me to assist in training undergraduates. I welcome this opportunity to make a contribution to the education of the next generation; the country needs new skills and competent people. In the long term, I’d like to start a network engineering company, as there is a great need for these services if Haiti is to move forward.

HELP: Any final thoughts?

Dumas: For decades, Haiti has experienced major problems across all aspects of national life. I've encountered a lot of these problems myself: a weak educational system, no electricity, no water, and insecurity in all its forms. I had to overcome all these constraints in order to achieve my goals. Much remains to be done and the road is long and difficult, but I want to align myself on the side of HELP and other organizations working to change these systems and to educate the daughters and sons of Haiti.

Previous
Previous

Meet the Freshmen!

Next
Next

Leadership at HELP: "Change for the common good"