Jean Philippe Crève-Coeur (’09, Haití)
Two weeks after returning to Haiti with his EARTH degree in-hand, a 7.0 earthquake struck this vulnerable island nation. Moved by the suffering and devastation he saw around him, Jean joined the humanitarian response. A month later he was hired by the Swiss NGO, Terre des Hommes (www.tdh.ch) as an assistant project manager. Promoted to project manager in 2011, and again to assistant project coordinator in 2016, Jean leads the organization’s efforts in Haiti in the areas of water, sanitation, and natural disaster and risk management. He supervises seven permanent staff, and in the past five years has overseen five projects and some 100 project-based employees.
The same calling that led Jean to join the aid efforts following the 2010 earthquake continues to move him today.
“Well into the 21st century, access to potable water and basic sanitation systems are considered a luxury in many parts of the world, like in Haiti. I am motivated to be part of the solution to this problem in some of the communities in my own country.”
Jean calculates that more than 50,000 people have benefited from his work– whether through the employment created by the projects he has designed and led, or through the projects themselves, which include the construction of potable water systems, risk mitigation structures, and training for disease prevention.
Jean has continually sought out further training and recently completed a master’s degree in project management. But of everything he has learned, he believes that the leadership skills he developed while at EARTH are what make the difference.
“For me, my family and my community, studying at EARTH and returning to my community after graduating is an achievement because communities are more likely to adopt positive change when it’s created from within.”
As an EARTH graduate Jean has not only been able to improve the living standards of his family, but, “Thanks to EARTH, I am more useful to my community and my country. I have the competencies necessary to propose sustainable solutions to improve conditions in the poorest communities of my country.”