Master chefs in Haiti

ACTEC - Haiti

  • Access: School level
  • Organisation: ACTEC
  • Country: Haïti
  • Period: 2014-2016 and 2017-2021
  • Local partner: Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco
  • Target group: Young women

Traditionally, in Haiti, hotel management training is dedicated to women. However, this sector is not well considered: either, it is only seen as trainings for maids, or it is considered that the level of these trainings in the country is so low that no one wants to hire these students. Furthermore, technical training has a bad image; as dedicated to those who did not manage to enter university. 

The hotel management school Marie Auxiliatrice (EHMA) managed by the Salesian sisters of Haiti has shaken the paradigm by proposing a training of an excellent level to young women from unprivileged areas. 94% of the students are women. Thanks to the quality of the school, they have the opportunity to obtain an internship and to be hired in prestigious hotels, restaurants or enterprises. A high percentage of the alumni finds a job after their studies (60% of the graduated have found a job in 2016). On the top of it, they often get a management position. Indeed, in addition to their technical training, they have learned to become a professionally reliable person on the long term, thanks to EHMA.

ACTEC supports the Salesian sisters of Haiti to reinforce the quality of education at EHMA and to achieve excellence, even for the more disadvantaged, on basis of the following criteria:

  • A good professional school must have a holistic approach: EHMA learn to its students to develop their technical but also their relational skills in order to be ready to get into the labour market and into the society in general.

  • A good school diversifies its trainings and levels: EHMA proposes a certificate of professional competence (CPC) of 1 year for those who have an insufficient level for the branches of professional activity (BPA) of 2 years. The employment rate is still very good for the CPC and the self-employment is stimulated thanks to the work of the students in the productive unit of the school: Prosolma (http://prosolma-haiti.com/index.php/prosolma).

EHMA offers to the students diversity in the employment possibilities: the touristic sector and self-employment, as well as the transformation of agricultural and local products. The self-employment is stimulated through the productive unit of the school that enables the students to acquire experience in a genuine professional environment. Furthermore, Prosolma represents a source of revenue for the school.

Vidéo atelier productif EHMA