Stéphanie B., Executive Director, Fondation Haitian Project
Stéphanie B., Executive Director, Fondation Haitian Project
In October 2020, Stéphanie B. became the first Executive Director of Fondation Haitian Project (FHP), The Haitian Project’s (THP) partner foundation in Haiti and the local entity responsible for the management of school programs and the development of the Louverture Cleary Schools Network. She spent the previous 10 years working in Port-au-Prince for Chabuma S.A., a building materials and hardware retailer where she was in many different levels of operation, including management, accounting, sales, and internal control.
Prior to working with Chabuma S.A., Stéphanie studied business with a focus on entrepreneurship at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA.
THP: What experiences have you had that enhance your leadership at FHP?
SB: With my background in entrepreneurship and my experience at Chabuma, I was able to go in and out of many areas of operation. This allowed me to always hold a broader perspective in any given situation, which I feel is a really good way to operate in Haiti because things here are constantly changing. It’s really good to keep an eye on the bigger picture, to be able to assess the pros and cons at all times and be able to stay on the path to reach the objectives that have been set in the beginning. It is easy to get lost if you have a narrow sight.
I’m also not afraid to learn. In entrepreneurship, there’s an endless range of activities which require involvement, so this means that you’re constantly forced to discover, to plan, to adapt, and to learn until you master the field. And, even when you do master the field, the effort never stops.
THP: What role do you believe the LCS Network will play in Haiti's future?
SB: With the Network, we are always aware that we are working towards bettering the situation of the less fortunate here in Haiti. We are providing the opportunity for a part of the population to no longer have financial concerns when it comes to their education. We are providing the environment for them to become productive, active members of Haitian society who will contribute to the development of Haiti. That’s the bigger picture that we have to keep in mind.
THP: How does FHP work with THP to ensure Louverture Cleary Schools are locally led and operate differently from Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)?
SB: Having the ability to be self-sustaining is important. When I look around here, I don’t see anything similar to LCS — something contributing in such a sustainable long-term way to the development of this country. This is why the Project is so special to me; I’m really glad to be a part of it. When I look at many other projects, what I often see are band-aid solutions that over time can do more harm than good. I can think of an example of a well-known international organization which has operated in Haiti for many years. They build hospitals, clinics, etc. They provide facilities and infrastructure all across the country, and they even provide much of the medical equipment. The problem is that they don't do any maintenance on the facilities themselves and no maintenance on the medical equipment either. As we know, facility and equipment maintenance are musts whenever any institution stretches their operations in the long term. There is no training of local staff to do this work, so what ends up happening is these hospitals are able to serve the communities for a while but then end up closing after things break down. The communities are then left with just a structure. There is also the aspect of Haiti not having enough trained medical personnel to keep these facilities running. The lack of sustainability is not the case at LCS at all.
FHP Executive Director Stephanie B. (left) with (from left): THP Director of New School Construction Jimi Grondin, Bishop Pierre-Antoine Paulo (now deceased, Bishop Emeritus of Port-de-Paix), and clergy from the diocese photographed while visiting potential sites for a Louverture Cleary School in Port-de-Paix, Haiti.
THP: What is the importance of the LCS Network being led by Haitians themselves?
SB: Some organizations have people from other countries outside of Haiti occupying the highest roles and directing the project, but this does not always have a positive effect. When a project is led by someone here in Haiti, they have a greater understanding of what the reality on the ground is. It’s very, very difficult for anybody coming from the outside to fully grasp the reality here, no matter how familiar they are with the country. The situation here can change very quickly, it can literally change from one day to the next. It has an impact on all levels of activity. You have to be able to maneuver within that reality every day.
THP: What are your thoughts on women in leadership positions throughout The Haitian Project and Haiti in general?
SB: I think that having women in leadership positions at LCS, FHP and THP is great. Historically here in Haiti, there has been a lot of machiste (machismo) in the way institutions have operated throughout the years. Today, this is no longer entirely the case, but it does very much still exist. We now find women in more areas of great influence, and it's amazing that LCS and THP provide environments for women to flourish in a majority of leadership positions. I think women tend to handle these roles with a lot of care and a lot of fairness. Very often, we are meticulous and thorough in our approach.
THP: What do you love about your role in the THP community?
SB: The Haitian Project provides the framework, a blueprint of what needs to be done to develop the Network, which is of utmost importance to what we’re doing here. I am able to communicate information between THP and FHP and be in constant contact with members of the Project at all levels.
I’m glad and grateful to be part of this amazing Project! The situation here [in Haiti] is pretty difficult, and this is one thing that really motivates me. It’s nice to have something to look forward to everyday and feel like I am contributing to something that’s positive. I feel like we are working towards something that benefits Haiti; we are literally contributing to developing a society.
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