I first began volunteering for Patrick's Kids Foundation (PKF) towards the last three months of 2020. I had just graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, and was seeking a way to contribute to my community. The Patrick’s Kids Foundation is a wonderful legacy project in memorial of Patrick Jacques. The abiding love and tremendous dedication behind the workings of PKF is evident; clearly, this was an organization I was particularly drawn to. Upon reaching out to co-founder Fritz Jacques, I was assigned my very first project of designing an entrepreneurial program for Haitian youth to teach PKF scholars business fundamentals on how to start their own businesses. From the onset, PKF was super supportive, communicative, and reliably there for any questions I had. This was very important to me because I was volunteering remotely and wanted to make sure that the work I was doing was actually helpful.
Key Takeaways
My biggest takeaway from this program was PKF’s clear objectives which rendered such precise accomplishments for its scholars. Nothing was arbitrary, targets were always actionable, and communication was consistent. Even upon the completion of the project, meetings with PKF continued to discuss different ways to implement the Entrepreneurship Program and how it could be taught in collaboration with its partners. The success of the Entrepreneurship Program truly made a difference in the lives of PKF scholars, which for me was inspiring and very fulfilling.
The PKF Mission + Nina's Mission
The mission of PKF–to leverage technology and partnerships to increase access to quality education that will spur sustainable and inclusive social and economic development in Haiti–is one I wholeheartedly believe in. I too regard education as the principal factor for empowering communities. In addition to academics, PKF offers scholarship, leadership programs to ensure their scholars are comprehensively supported throughout their educational journey. Such involvement is unparalleled and truly a key component that makes PKF an outstanding organization in which to work.
Final Thoughts
If you are considering supporting PKF, I strongly recommend that you do. There are so many facets of this organization where you can find your niche, from marketing, to program design, website development, to blogging, to securing suppliers, to overall outreach. There is truly a position for you with PKF no matter your interest, no matter your expertise. Please, come join us. You will never regret that you did!
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