Jheff, a 2019 JiHM scholarship recipient, began at Grace Emmanuel School as a 9th grader in 2014. His dad, Dieumaître, started teaching at GES the same year, first in 4th grade, then moving to 5th grade and finally 6th grade until he became too sick to continue teaching in 2018.

Last month, as Jheff completed his studies in electrotechnology, his father passed away. Through his grief, Jheff still wanted to be interviewed, sharing his gratitude to the scholarship fund for giving him a path to help provide for his family.

“I can’t find the right words, I don’t know what I would do if you hadn’t helped me,” he said. “Thanks is too little, but that’s all I can say. May God pour out blessings on you in abundance.”

We are so proud of Jheff and so grateful to have been given the opportunity to invest in the future of his family.

Get to know Jheff a little better through the interview below, and then please pray for him. He requests prayers for his spiritual life, for his family—especially his mom—and for his success.

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1. Why did you choose to study electrotechnology*?

I didn’t really know what I would do when I finished school but when I received the scholarship, I learned about this field of study and it sounded good to me.

2. Can you describe a typical day at your school?

School days are almost always the same. Go to classes, take a break, and then practice. The practice times are my favorite part of school.

3. What has been the most difficult part of school?

They day they pulled a gun on the taptap I was in with Ferlandy, that was the most difficult day for me.

4. What kind of job would you like to have? Why?

I would like to work for BRANA as a technician because I’d really like that. (BRANA is the biggest beverage company in Haiti.) After that, I always plan to have my own business, too.

5. What would you be doing if you hadn’t gotten this scholarship?

If I didn’t receive this scholarship, I don’t know what I would have done. My parents didn’t have any way to help me, and my dad was always sick.

6. Is there an achievement you are most proud of? Why?

At this moment, I am most proud of the studies I’ve completed, because if I hadn’t done it, I might not have made my parents as proud. My dad is gone now, and it’s thanks to my studies that I’ll be able to help take care of my family because I’m the oldest child.

7. How do you plan to use your training to impact your community?

I plan to let people get to know me in this field and to continue to help my uncle install inverters. Once people get to know me, I can be a service to everybody.

8. Who in your life is most proud of you and why?

My mom now, because my dad is not here anymore. But he was very proud of me too.

9. How does your faith in Christ impact your life?

My faith helps me a lot. It helps me have conviction. And especially in difficult moments like this, it holds me up.

10. If you could see lasting change in Haiti, what would it be?

For the insecurity to end and for peace to reign.

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*What is electrotechnology? Jheff’s program consisted of 4 semesters with 29 different modules and 1110 hours of study. He studied such topics as electrification of residential buildings as well as commercial buildings; analog and digital electronics; industrial sewing machine repair; installation of surveillance systems; inverters, generators and solar panels; and practical business skills like preparing project estimates, occupational health and safety, and lots of English.