2017-June-02
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Bon Bagay!
Bon Bagay! This means good stuff in Kreyol, the native language of Haiti.
Earlier this month Foundation of the World in partnership with Transversal held the inaugural PACT (Progress & Accelerated Change through Technology) program.
The PACT program was created by Foundation of the World co-founder Reginald (Reggy) Liger a Haitian-American. Reggy is a Service Activation Lead in Cloud Managed Services at Cisco. It was through his work with colleague Juan Del Villar that inspired him to bring this type of program to Haiti. A partnership was created with Transversal, a Cisco Networking Academy in Haiti, and their Director General Max Larson. For the last five years, Transversal with the help of the Cisco Networking Academy, has developed a network of former students, local companies and international partners, each leading in its field.
The PACT program has one purpose—teach minds of the future so they can create a promising tomorrow. The best analogy we can use is "if you give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day; however, if you teach a man how to fish, he'll eat for a lifetime."
The four-day program is led by subject matter experts from the IT industry in the areas of VoIP, Network Security, Virtualization and Professional Development. Our experts—a group of nine volunteers, came from Cisco Systems and Cisco Networking Academy alumnus native to Haiti.
We originally planned for 100 participants, but ended up with 112 ranging from students to industry professionals! This diverse group of participants showed the potential for multiplied impact in Haiti's Tech Industry.
An opening ceremony on the first day, welcomed students, school officials, volunteers, and leaders in Haiti's technology industry such as Carl-Frederic Barrau, Jaunasse Elysée and Haitian Senator Patrice Dumont.
The remainder of the week focused on the technical workshops. Over the next four days, participants rotated through four technical tracks: virtualization, security, voice over IP and professional development. The key component was the students spending most of their time actively learning through laboratories in each of these tracks. Therefore, the knowledge gained is largely practical.
The participants in the program were incredibly intelligent, passionate and kind. Many of them already entrepreneurs—they made us feel like family. This program meant so much to them!
Every time we would walk around with our PACT t-shirts, people would ask us what it means. After we told them why we're here and what we're doing, they would always say "Bon Bagay!" That's the culture here. They see the value in giving back.
The classes were hugely engaged with the majority staying late—hungry for their next opportunity. An opportunity to improve their circumstances. An opportunity to start a new career. An opportunity to change their country for the better. A dream that's familiar to many of us.
The sponsors for this program were Haiti Data Network, Access Haiti, Atalou Microsystems and Telematica. Canado Technique provided the facilities. Exclusiv Life provided catering. Solutek provided the survey system and Marriott Port-Au-Prince and Decameron provided accommodations. The program would not have been possible without our sponsors and countless donors. We would like to say thank you!
This experience was life changing for everyone involved. We came together to better each other. We created connections that have the potential to last a lifetime. We explored Haiti's natural beauty, from the mountains of Port Au Prince to the beaches of the Arcadins Coast. We ate some of the best food the country has to offer and enjoyed the colorful music that makes your body move, in ways you didn't even know. The culture is authentic. We learned firsthand why they call Haiti "the pearl of the Caribbean".
We hope that the gift of knowledge that we shared with the participants, takes them on an amazing journey of prosperity and excitement. We believe in your hopes and dreams.
We hope to return to Haiti next year and continue our investment in its youth and its future. We invite you to join us. "Be the change you seek in the world".
Bon Bagay!
Related Links
- Networking Academy
- Volunteer through Foundation of the World
- Foundation of the World – Take Action!
- Foundation of the World PACT 2017 Newsletter
- Transversal
Connect everything. Innovate everywhere. Benefit everyone.
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