Haitian Education & Leadership Program (HELP)

Haitian Education & Leadership Program (HELP) Transforming Haiti one student at a time.

Honoring A Legacy Of EducationThirty years ago, before HELP was HELP, when it was just me, my parents and a few of my co...
08/25/2026

Honoring A Legacy Of Education

Thirty years ago, before HELP was HELP, when it was just me, my parents and a few of my college friends supporting a few of my recently graduated, straight-A students in local colleges, my family came to visit me in Haiti.

Education was always important to my parents. My father was in the Navy and whenever we moved, my mother would conduct a comprehensive survey of schools and enroll each of her children in what she alone determined was the most appropriate one for them. Distance was not a consideration; even in grade school we often took public buses over an hour each way. After high school, going to college was just switching schools, as I had done so many timesbefore. In fact, when an admissions officer asked me why I wanted to go to college, the only thing I could think of was that no one had ever asked me in the 4th grade why I wanted to goto the 5th grade.

So in 1996, when I landed as a volunteer teacher at a scholarship high school in Haiti, I was astounded to be teaching straight-A students who couldn’t afford the 15¢ bus fare to and from school. They were better, more motivated students than I had ever been, but college existed only as a dream. And I knew there was no reason these students shouldn’t have the same opportunities I had had. So when Isemonde asked me for $30 for the college entrance exam,I agreed.

But I also knew that my $200 monthly stipend was not going to cover college tuition so I called my parents to ask them to help and they agreed on the spot.

A few months later my parents visited Haiti and I was able to introduce them to my students including Isemonde, and her classmates Florenal, and Salomon, who we visited at hisfamily’s tiny corner store in Cite Soleil, where we chatted over some Cokes from the cooler.

Thirty years have passed since my parents first visited Haiti. Isemonde became a physician. Salomon, an electrician, manages a solar technology company in Port-au-Prince, and Dr. Florenal Joseph PhD runs a specialized hospital laboratory. And HELP has become a reference for higher education in Haiti.

HELP is the legacy of those first students who succeeded without most of the support current students receive, of the first donations from me and my parents, of all the staff who providedour students with everything they need to succeed.

HELP is of course, your legacy too, a legacy that grows every time someone joins us in investing in Haiti’s future. Today, I'd like to invite you to consider another way of creating a new legacy by investing in the future.

The Royal Palm Society is a community of donors who leave a lasting legacy of education, scholarship, and leadership through a planned gift. Named for Haiti's enduring national tree, the society offers a way to leave a legacy of opportunity: to ensure that students we have not yet met will have the same chance that inspired HELP's founding all those years ago.

- Conor Bohan, Co-Founder and Executive Director

Director of Development and Communications Caroline Bernal-Silva recently spoke with long-time supporters Rick and Harri...
08/11/2026

Director of Development and Communications Caroline Bernal-Silva recently spoke with long-time supporters Rick and Harriet Barger about their life's work and their choice to commit a legacy gift to HELP.

"When I sat down with Reverend Dr. Rick Barger and his wonderful partner in life, Harriet, I expected to talk about legacy, impact, and education. After all, the Haitian Education & Leadership Program has just launched its Planned Giving Program, and Rick and Harriet have made the remarkable commitment to include HELP in their estate plans.

Instead, we spent our time talking about love, eulogy virtues, and the late, great Jimmy V.

As I reflect on our conversation, I can't help but wonder what our world would look like if more lived like Rick and Harriet, two people whose lives have been defined more by what they have given away than by what they have accumulated.

I began our conversation by asking them to reflect on legacy giving. They shared that before making one of the most significant philanthropic commitments of their lives, they wrestled with a question I think most of us are asking these days: What can I do?

It was a question so important that they devoted an entire retreat to exploring it. The breakthrough came when they realized they had been asking the wrong question. Instead of asking, What can I do? they began asking themselves, What can God do through us?

From that moment, philanthropy transformed from an act of paying it forward into a deep, soul-level commitment to lead a life worthy of the calling to which they had been called.

Their decision to leave a legacy gift to HELP follows that same conviction. They told me they want their work on earth to continue long after their lives have ended. For them, a planned gift is not an ending; it is a continuation of a lifetime of learning and of service.

Rick and Harriet described this beautiful, complex country and its people as some of their greatest teachers. They spoke of Maya, the Haitian Timoun Foundation's Country Director, whose leadership and steadfast commitment inspire them daily. They remembered Esther, a young girl living with profound physical and intellectual disabilities, whose capacity to trust and love left an indelible mark on their hearts. They spoke of Garry Delice, HELP's co-founder, whose commitment and unwavering support of our students and his love of country are unmatched.

As the names and stories flowed, they returned again and again to the lessons learned and what they’d like to be remembered for embodying:

Courage.

Gratitude.

Resilience.

Trust.

Joy.

And, of course, hope.

When I asked why they chose to include HELP in their legacy plans, Rick smiled and immediately quoted Coach Jimmy Valvano.

"Don't give up. Don't ever give up."

Those seven words have defined HELP's story for more than thirty years.

When the world has looked away, Haitians have continued, we have continued

When the odds seemed impossible, our students have persisted.

When others saw hopelessness, you, our community, continued to invest in the endless possibility of the Haitian spirit.

That is the legacy Rick and Harriet are choosing to sustain.

At HELP, our Planned Giving Program invites friends like Rick and Harriet to ensure that future generations of Haitian students have the opportunity to learn, lead, and transform their communities. It is a promise that while our lives are finite, our impact does not have to be.

In the end, Rick and Harriet’s life shows that the greatest legacy we leave is not measured by what we own. It is measured by where our love continues to grow, long after we are gone."

"Indescribable Joy" - Win a Haiti jersey! https://www.uhelp.net/we-are-haitiAgainst one of the World Cup's best teams, H...
06/26/2026

"Indescribable Joy" - Win a Haiti jersey!

https://www.uhelp.net/we-are-haiti

Against one of the World Cup's best teams, Haiti's men's national team found the back of the net twice yesterday, giving Haitians everywhere a reason to celebrate.

When Wilson Isidor's stunning second goal put Haiti 2-1 up against Morocco, HELP Engagement Officer Edwine Estinfil (education '23) was riding home from work in a tap tap in Port-au-Prince.

"I was riding in the tap tap and the feeling I had when we scored was indescribable. I couldn't contain my joy. We went and played against one of the biggest teams in the tournament and scored two goals. It's like I was on the field myself."

Life in Haiti has asked a great deal of its people in recent days. As HELP graduate and Development & Communications Manager Daphnée Charles described, "At the end of the game, it was like a weight was lifted off our shoulders. I felt Haiti needed a win, and the two goals yesterday felt like two wins."

To celebrate Haiti's World Cup journey, we're keeping our raffle for an official Haiti men's national team jersey open through the end of today.

Make a gift of $20 or more and receive one entry. https://www.uhelp.net/we-are-haiti

Start a new recurring monthly donation of any amount and receive double entries.

Just as Haiti's players represented their country on the world's biggest stage, HELP scholars are preparing to represent Haiti in classrooms, workplaces, and communities across the country.

Thank you for celebrating Haiti with us.

Thank You!!Thanks to your generosity, I am thrilled to share that we have met our matching gift goal for our spring camp...
06/18/2026

Thank You!!

Thanks to your generosity, I am thrilled to share that we have met our matching gift goal for our spring campaign!

In this moment, I find myself thinking about the scholars you have empowered like Verlanda Alexandre (Psychology ’20), whom we recently visited in Cap-Haïtien. Today, Verlanda serves as a Safeguarding Officer for Kids Alive International, providing critical mental health support to children and helping protect vulnerable young people from abuse. I am continually struck by her unwavering strength in helping these children understand they are cherished, and equipping them with the emotional, physical, and spiritual tools they need to thrive.

Speaking with her was a powerful reminder of what your support makes possible.

Her story is one of many. Across Haiti, our alumni are serving as educators, healthcare professionals, entrepreneurs, and community leaders. They are strengthening their communities and transforming Haiti from within.

Because of your support, and because you helped us meet this match, more students will have the opportunity to follow in their footsteps.

Thank you for believing in our scholars and in Haiti's future.

Together, we are HELP. Together, we are Haiti.

- Conor Bohan, Co-Founder & Executive Director

Plan A Gift, Leave A Legacy: https://uhelp.mygiftlegacy.org/"We are proud to have included the Haitian Education & Leade...
06/11/2026

Plan A Gift, Leave A Legacy: https://uhelp.mygiftlegacy.org/

"We are proud to have included the Haitian Education & Leadership Program in our will. We wholeheartedly believe, without hesitation, that the seeds of change we are planting will help transform this country we have come to love, even long after we are gone." — Reverend Dr. Rick Barger & Harriet Barger.

Some gifts are felt today. Others continue shaping lives for decades to come.

At the Haitian Education & Leadership Program, we see this every day through our alumni and students—young people whose futures were made possible because someone, somewhere, chose to invest in them. Now, we invite you to do the same in a lasting way.

The Royal Palm Society is our planned giving community, bringing together supporters who choose to plan a gift and leave a legacy for the next generation of Haitian leaders.

Planned giving is not about the size of a gift today—it is about the impact you choose to have tomorrow. Through a bequest, retirement plan, life insurance policy, or other planned gift, you can ensure that students in Haiti continue to access scholarships, safe housing, academic support, and leadership development for years to come. We have also made it easier than ever to explore new ways to give, with flexible options that allow you to align your values, your financial planning, and your long-term impact.

Together, we are HELP. Together, we are Haiti.

Co-Founder & Executive Director Conor Bohan's recent trip to Haiti took him to the southern coastal city of Les Cayes, w...
06/02/2026

Co-Founder & Executive Director Conor Bohan's recent trip to Haiti took him to the southern coastal city of Les Cayes, where he found a group of HELP freshmen organizing to make a profound change in the life of a local secondary student.

"In Les Cayes, we met our freshman class studying at a new partner institution, the American University of the Caribbean (AUC). Far from the violence affecting Port-au-Prince, students here have the space to learn, connect, grow and relax —and what they are building together is nothing short of remarkable.

During our visit, students and staff were eager to share updates on Fonds 51, an example that reflects the leadership and values of our first-year class.

It began during freshman orientation in September, when our friend J***y introduced HELP’s freshman class to Wysterline, a local high school senior he was trying to help. After years of impressive grades amidst near impossible odds, including moving six times in less than four years, Wysterline was the verge of dropping out of school because she had no one to pay her fees.

Moved by her situation, on the spot HELP freshman made a collective decision: she would not be forced to leave school. There and then they agreed to pool 5% of their $100 monthly stipends to keep Wysterline in school, and when they realized that the money could support a second student, they did just that.

Together, they are covering tuition, supplies and a small stipend, while also providing tutoring themselves. What started as a single act of solidarity has grown into Fond 51, a student-led initiative inspired by HELP’s alumni giving model.

In a subsequent letter to the freshman class Wysterline said that their support had “changed my life profoundly and permanently… giving me not only material support but an incredible force and new motivation, propelling me to persevere and progress. In supporting my education, you are investing in my future, my hopes, and my power to make a difference.”

HELP Across Haiti: On his recent trip to Haiti, Co-Founder & Executive Director Conor Bohan witnessed the extraordinary ...
05/19/2026

HELP Across Haiti: On his recent trip to Haiti, Co-Founder & Executive Director Conor Bohan witnessed the extraordinary impact of our alumni throughout the country.

"On the first leg of the trip, we traveled to Pignon in Haiti’s Central Plateau with Gael Pressoir PhD, the founder of CHIBAS, Haiti’s foremost agricultural research institution. At the modest building that houses CHIBAS’ lab we met the research team (some of whom had escaped encroaching gangs last year by swimming across rivers) who were excited to show us their work ranging from aphid-resistant grains to high-protein rice varietals. At the CHIBAS fields in neighboring St. Raphael we happened upon HELP graduate Verlando Joseph (Agriculture ‘19) who is now CHIBAS’ Field Manager,

Verlando showed us two varieties of common bean, one of which was ravaged by a pest, and another, in the very next row, thriving. This is research that can transform Haitian farmers’ livelihoods, and with it Haiti’s agriculture industry and food sovereignty.

Verlando was equally excited to tell me that he had just returned from a recruiting trip for HELP, speaking at high schools across the region. He said every year he allocates some of his vacation to recruit the next generation of scholars. It’s a powerful example of the multiplier effect of HELP’s work. At HELP, we know talent exists everywhere, and that access to education doesn’t just transform individual lives—it strengthens entire communities.

That belief drives our outreach across Haiti. Even amid the challenges of operating in the country, we connect with nearly 12,800 students each year, encouraging them to apply to our scholarship program. From that pool, we select just 50—underscoring both the immense need and the extraordinary potential.

Verlando’s journey is a reminder that our impact doesn’t stop at graduation. It starts there. HELP’s work is evident across Haiti, propelled by alumni who are building, leading, and transforming the country.

If you’re inspired by stories like Verlando’s, please consider making a gift. One hundred percent of your donation goes directly to student support—and every dollar will be matched 1:1 through June 12.

Together, we are HELP. Together, we are Haiti.

https://www.uhelp.net/we-are-haiti

6 Days, 7 Flights, 4 Cities: HELP Across Haitihttps://www.uhelp.net/we-are-haitiAs we come to the close of another schoo...
05/11/2026

6 Days, 7 Flights, 4 Cities: HELP Across Haiti

https://www.uhelp.net/we-are-haiti

As we come to the close of another school year, I find myself in deep awe of our students, staff and graduates. The past six years, marked by the constant uncertainty and displacement brought on by violence and terror have tested us all in profound ways. And yet, all of us—supporters, staff and students—have persisted, moving frequently, yet welcoming incoming students and establishing new campuses and partnerships. We do so because we believe, now more than ever, that the path to a stronger Haiti runs through education and is envisioned by Haitians, for Haiti.

I just returned from a trip across Haiti—6 days, 7 flights and 4 cities accompanied by a HELP Trustee on his first visit to Haiti in six years. Despite obstacles like cancelled flights due to gunfire near the airport and monsoon-like deluges that forced us off the road, I returned renewed, energized, and inspired. I met with members of the HELP community whose commitment and resilience reaffirm the strength of our presence across Haiti. In the coming weeks, we will share stories and reflections from that trip, offering a closer look at the people and places that make this difficult work more than worthwhile.

Additionally, you will see several announcements along the way, starting with these two:

A group of generous donors has recently come together to cover 100% of our administrative costs. That means every cent you give this spring will go directly to program delivery in Haiti—supporting tuition, student stipends, safe student housing, mental health services, academic advising, and the many more elements of HELP’s comprehensive scholarships.

A committed supporter has offered to match every gift 1:1, up to $20,000 until June 12th.

Together, this community, staff, students, and donors alike, continues to amaze me. I am honored and privileged to work with all of you. Together, we are HELP. Together, we are building a better Haiti.

- Conor Bohan, Co-Founder & Executive Director

We are building back in Les Cayes! Amid violence in Port-au-Prince, we have expanded to Les Cayes, welcoming 50 first-ye...
04/14/2026

We are building back in Les Cayes! Amid violence in Port-au-Prince, we have expanded to Les Cayes, welcoming 50 first-year students into a safer, more stable environment.

In partnership with the American University of the Caribbean, our scholars are thriving, using libraries, labs, and health services while building strong academic and social connections with their AUC peers.

Beyond the classroom, they’re already leading, supporting local children, launching environmental initiatives, and serving their community.

Read the full story at the link in our bio!

Hot off the press, our first newsletter of 2026 is here! Read the full issue: https://bit.ly/3O37ZOZStaff, students, alu...
04/08/2026

Hot off the press, our first newsletter of 2026 is here! Read the full issue: https://bit.ly/3O37ZOZ

Staff, students, alumni, and donors are transforming Haiti from within. From our expansion to Les Cayes and new student initiatives to powerful stories of leadership, solidarity, and growth, our community continues to deliver on the promise of a life-changing education. All thanks to your support.

Address

217 Broadway, Ste 307
New York, NY
10007

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Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

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(646) 485-8667

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