I recently met up with the Cross Catholic Outreach-sponsored students at the Haitian Education and Leadership Program (HELP), a university scholarship program for impoverished, high-achieving students throughout Haiti, and wow – this group is impressive.
These committed students are all working toward their medical degrees at the University of Notre Dame (UNDH), the country’s only Catholic university. This is a huge feat in a country where less than 1 percent of the population obtains university degrees!
Take 22-year-old Roseline Duclair for an example. Roseline is a nursing theory student. She is consistently on the Dean’s List, and not only is she one of HELP’s top academic achievers, but she is also one of the highest scoring students in her class at UNDH.
But HELP students are involved in so much more than schoolwork. Many can be found serving at their local churches, giving back to their poor communities and, like Roseline, pursuing valuable internships. This desire and drive to make a difference is fostered through the outreach’s Leadership Program, a four-year course encouraging students to create change and engage in service so all of their hard work will ultimately make an impact in Haiti.
Here is what Roseline had to say about her experience:
It is another world coming to HELP from my circumstances growing up in Cap Haitien. My father left my mother with four children. He now lives in the south and suffers from Alzheimer’s.
My faith has helped me so much, and so has this program. One thing that surprised me about HELP was all the courses that are offered outside of my university studies that will help me in the future. The Leadership Program has been particularly impactful for me; it is where we are taught to work hard, create change and help others. I have always had goals for my life – goals to learn and help others – and this program has given me the ability to achieve these dreams.
Thank you for making this possible!
-Annie W