by Ivo Padberg
Haiti is the closest thing to home I will ever know. Having lived there for around 18 years, I have experienced the beauty and joy, and definitely the hardships of the country. The one thing about Haiti, though, is that despite all the “bad” we’ve experienced, as a people we’ve always managed to keep in faith and courage to get back to the good.
“Dèyè mòn gen mòn,” means, “Behind mountains there are always mountains.” This is a popular Haitian proverb meant to illustrate that there will always be challenges to overcome in life, but to always stay persistent and to push forward. I always thought that proverb was very fitting for the type of country Haiti is. No matter what it was we went through, good or bad, the people always held strong.
After leaving my home in 2021 to pursue my bachelor’s studies, I’ve always thought about how I could continue to help Haiti in my own way. Haiti has given me so much, and I think it’s important for me to repay the debt I have to the country as best I can.
Recently, I had the opportunity to work with Hope for Haiti, an organization that my family has worked with for generations. Since I was a kid, I was always left in awe by the work that they were able to achieve through thick and thin. From supporting the school that my grandparents started in Tête l’Etang, to the organization’s life-saving work following the 2010 earthquake, and even now helping families prosper despite the economic, security, and political hardships the country is currently facing.
My role as a Marketing and Communications intern gave me a unique perspective on the work that happens behind the scenes to make this all possible. It was amazing to be a part of the Hope for Haiti family and to support the various projects that it has been working on recently. From day one, I was welcomed in a way that made it feel like I’d been there for a decade. From the colleagues I worked with every day and those I met remotely, to those who support Hope for Haiti on-site… Thank you for letting me be a part of this journey, and I know that this won’t be the last of our collaboration.
– Ivo Padberg, Hope for Haiti Marketing/Communications Intern, May 2026
