Interviewing the Workers of 1,000 Jobs/Haiti

Right before the January 12th earthquake in Haiti, Samasource  brought on its newest Service Partner, 1,000 Jobs/Haiti. In the wake of the earthquake, the Haitian team immediately got to work on an important new project, translating emergency SMS messages as part of the Mission 4636 project. Samasource is helping to rebuild lives by creating much needed jobs.

Our team lead on the ground is Frednel, who is doing an amazing job as the amazing manager at 1,000 Jobs/Haiti. He has interviewed some of the workers to find ot more about what this effort means to them, their circumstances in Haiti and the importance of work.

Richard Pierre

Frednel: Hello, please tell us about yourself. What is your name? Where do you live? What kind of things did you study in the past?

Richard Pierre: My name is Richard Pierre. I was born in Mirebalais and live in the place of my birth. I am married and have two children. In Mirebalais, I started my elementary study at St. Pierre College in 2003. I did my secondary study at Sacre-Coeur College also in Mirebalais. My dream was to obtain a diploma in civil engineering; unfortunately, after I reached level three, I was dropped because of economic problems. The person that helped me in school died in a great truck accident in Haiti. In the same year, 2005, I closed my University file because the fees of the university were too expensive

Two years after, I beneficiated from a scholarship to study computer science in the Dominican Republic at (UTESA) Universidad Tecnologica de Santiago. While I was studying at UTESA university, I beneficiated, thanks to my intelligence a favor from the Director of the university to study the regular English and German proficiency. I obtained several certificates in the following options including informatics, Spanish and English languages in Dominican Republic.

Frednel: What kinds of work did you do, before working with Samasource?

Richard Pierre: Before working with Samasource, I was jobless; however, sometimes, I’ve worked as a translator for temporary foreign missions in Haiti. I also used to work as a computer repairman not for a company or an administration but for traveling customers. I’ve worked for myself, but the money I made was not enough to take care of myself especially when customers had no computers out of work. Two weeks would pass without the earning of a single gourde.

Frednel: What does work with Samasource mean to you, now? Has it affected your life?

Richard Pierre: No word and expression can explain the joy, happiness and satisfaction that Samasource has brought to my family and I. In the past, despite my knowledge and professional ability, I never had the chance to find a job to provide for my family. I felt sorrow, sadness and hunger in this poverty and hell. Thanks to Samasource, my life is really changing because they give me a job, and it’s a great relief for my family and I.

Frednel: Everyone on our team is very sad for the terrible tragedy of the earthquake in Haiti. Did the earthquake affect you and your family?

Richard Pierre: Because of the earthquake, everyone was very sad. The team whom I am working with now was also very sad after the terrible tragedy that occurred on January 12th, 2010 in Haiti. My family, friends and I were all stumbled and hopeless because we were so scared of the thought that everyone would die due to the shortage of food, water, drugs and shelter. My family was seriously affected by the earthquake because there are about five people who died in my family at Port-au-Prince during the earthquake.

Frednel: How do you feel about doing SMS translations to help survivors of the earthquake?

Richard Pierre: Sometimes, I feel very sad when I translate a tragic message; for example, there was a message that said that there was a person who was still alive under rubble. Sometimes, it’s a baby who is under the rubble, or sometimes it’s a 6 year old child. My heart tears up when I hear these sorts of messages, but I oblige myself to stay strong and make the translations because life is not really easy. Life is difficult, know that anything can happen in life. Life has its ups and downs; this means that a person should be strong and have a lot of courage to resist difficulties in life. Life puts up great fights. In order to live, you have to be a good soldier; when you fall, you have to get up.

I translate the survivors’ messages at the best of my ability in order to understand what they desire to say. This is nearly all I can offer them in assistant. After that, I couldn’t do anything else because I don’t have other opportunities to help them.

Frednel: Thank you!

Richard Pierre: I thank you, Samasource.

Juna Dumornay

Frednel: Hello, please tell us about yourself. What is your name? Where do you live? What kind of things did you study in the past?

Juna Dumornay: My name is Juna Dumornay. I am 25, tall, and a student. I live in Mirebalais on rue L’amarre. I’m studying administration at IHECE (Institute des Hautes Etudes Commerciales et Economiques).

Frednel: What kinds of work did you do, before working with Samasource?

Juna Dormornay: I never worked before my work with Samasource.

Frednel: What does work with Samasource mean to you, now? Has it affected your life?

Juna Dormornay: Samasource means a lot of things for me. This is a big opportunity because I didn’t have a job before, and now with Samasource, I can realize my dream in life. Yes, it has affected my life because with Samasource, I have new experiences and feel my life changing.

Frednel: Everyone on our team is very sad for the terrible tragedy of the earthquake in Haiti. Did the earthquake affect you and your family?

Juna Dormornay: The earthquake affected my family and I; this terrible thing has changed my normal life completely.

Frednel: How do you feel about doing SMS translations to help survivors of the earthquake?

Juna Dormornay: I’m feeling well because doing SMS translation gives support to my brothers and sisters. Helping them in this way is a good thing to me.

Frednel: Thank you!

Juna Dormornay: I thank Samasource for supporting my people in this terrible earthquake. Thank you again.

Jerry Lafontant

Frednel: Hello, please tell us about yourself. What is your name? Where do you live? What kind of things did you study in the past?

Jerry Lafontant: Well, I’m Jerry Lafontant. I’m 31 years old. I was born in Port-au-Prince, and I live in Mirebalais now. I have black eyes and hair, and I’m single. I have one child whose name is Sakia Lafontant; she is 12 years old. My mother has seven children, and I’m the last of my family. I studied operator computer, and I started studying accounting at Center Pilote Drouillard in Port-au-Prince.

Frednel: What kinds of work did you do, before working with Samasource?

Jerry Lafontant: Before working for Samasource, I worked for the government OEA office, issuing national identification cards (CIN).

Frednel: What does work with Samasource mean to you, now? Has it affected your life?

Jerry Lafontant: Samasource means a lot of things for me. I lost my job, and I didn’t have anything to take care of myself and my family. Now with Samasource, I can take care of myself and my family. Yes, Samasource has affected my life so much.

Frednel: Everyone on our team is very sad for the terrible tragedy of the earthquake in Haiti. Did the earthquake affect you and your family?

Jerry Lafontant: The earthquake affect my life because it the first time I witnessed such a thing. First of all, I lost all my very important things. The second is that my child was in Port au Prince, my family and my friends.

Frednel: How do you feel about doing SMS translations to help survivors of the earthquake?

Jerry Lafontant: Whenever I translate a message, I take a moment to thank Samasource because they have provided me an opportunity. I can bring my help to a person who is shouting help me.

Frednel: Thank you!

Jerry Lafontant: Thank you Samasource for your support. You bring a lot of things in my life, and we’re very thankful.