“We’re one team, all working together to make a difference. Even when faced with challenges, we stay focused on our mission and the community we serve.”
Jean Herns Dede, Hope for Haiti Clinic Manager
After 12 years of working at Hope for Haiti, a lot has changed, both for the organization and for Jean Herns Dede, but what has never changed is the dedication to improving people’s lives.
In August of 2007, Jean Herns, who goes by Herns, was working as a documentation manager for an import and export company in Port-au-Prince, where he ensured that all documentation complied with Haitian customs requirements before clearance. He had recently graduated from college in the United States and was happy to be using his degree in his country, but something was missing.
“I knew I wanted to make a difference in my community,” Herns said. This calling is what led Herns to discover Hope for Haiti, which is based in his hometown of Les Cayes. While Les Cayes is a metropolis, it’s much smaller than the capital city, and serves as a hub for healthcare and business in Haiti’s south.
Using his education and experience in quality control and logistics, Herns joined Hope for Haiti as Gift-In-Kind Coordinator in 2014, helping to import and distribute essential medications and medical supplies to Hope for Haiti’s Infirmary St. Etienne and our network of in-country healthcare partners.
Over the next 12 years, Herns steadily advanced through the organization, taking on roles as Operations Manager, Systems Manager, Healthcare Program Manager, and finally his current position: Clinic Manager of the Infirmary St. Etienne.
“I’ve seen Hope for Haiti grow from a team of 20 to over 100 staff members and volunteers,” Herns says. “Our clinic consultations have increased from around 40 per day to over 150. It’s been amazing to be a part of this transformation and to see the impact we’re making.”
Herns in 2014
As Clinic Manager, Herns oversees a team of four direct reports, ensuring the smooth operation of Hope for Haiti’s healthcare facilities. But for Herns, the most rewarding part of his job is seeing the difference their work makes in people’s lives.
“One experience that stands out to me was a woman I met who came to the infirmary right when we began offering gynecological care,” said Herns. “I didn’t think much of it at the time, but I saw her later in the market, and she stopped me to tell me how grateful she was for the appointment. I could tell how much it meant to her that our doctors were able to help.”
Community is a large part of what makes the Hope for Haiti team so special. More than 90% of team members live in or around Les Cayes, and many of them were even born and raised in the region. That sense of belonging and understanding they convey to program beneficiaries comes from mutual experience, respect, and a genuine commitment to helping.
Herns credits resilience, empowerment, accountability, collaboration, and hope—Hope for Haiti’s core values—to guiding he and his team every day and making a real difference in the lives of so many through our Healthcare Program.
“I’m so thankful to everyone who supports and believes in our work,” Herns said.
Herns and some Hope for Haiti colleagues run the Les Cayes Half Marathon in 2025
