Interview with HELP's Outgoing Alumni President

When he earned his electrician’s degree in 2002, Salomon Asmath became HELP’s first-ever graduate. After HELP, Salomon worked as a production engineer at an apparel factory in Port-au-Prince. He then spent a year as an operations manager at a handicraft program, followed by a year as a stock manager. In June 2008, Salomon became a data entry clerk for MINUSTAH’s police division, where he stayed for three years. Today, he is a manager at Energy Central, a solar panel installation company. Salomon lives in a suburb of Port-au-Prince with his wife and child.

Fittingly, Salomon was also the first President of the HELP Alumni Association, serving from the group’s founding in 2008 until March 2013. As he retires from the position, HELP would like to recognize Salomon’s dedicated leadership, hard work in building a strong alumni network, and enthusiastic commitment to the organization’s mission over the past five years.

HELP recently spoke with Salomon:

HELP: Could you talk a little bit about your background?

Salomon Asmath (SA): I grew up in a single parent household, living with my father. After his death, I lived with his brother, who had a son my age. We were in the same grade but not the same school. I attended a public primary school in Cite Soleil. I then went to a private boarding school that provides scholarships for bright students who can’t afford school fees or tuition.

HELP: How did you come to HELP?

SA: When I was a junior at that school, in 1997, Conor Bohan was my English teacher and soccer coach. I took the baccalaureate exam in 1998 and wanted to continue my education. I knew that Conor had started assisting top students at university, so I got back in touch to see if he might be able to help me, too. And the rest is history.

HELP: Can you tell us about your current professional life?

SA: I work for a company that installs solar panels, as well as inverters and batteries, so that the solar energy can provide power during outages in the main electrical grid – something that happens frequently in Haiti. After my time as a data clerk, I’m very pleased to be back in the technical field, the field I studied. My typical day involves coordinating installation teams at various job sites and managing our inventory – basically ensuring that everything and everyone operates efficiently.

HELP: How has your time at HELP made a difference for you?

SA: I believe that education is the key to success. The training that HELP enabled me to receive is a great asset in the job market. HELP also reinforced something that I learned early in life – the importance of sharing with others. I like to help other people because I’ve received help in my own life.

HELP: What are your plans for the future?

SA: I’d like to become an entrepreneur, to one day own my own company, and to create jobs for my country.