My future starts today
World Youth Skills Day
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On World Youth Skills Day, children in Haiti meet professionals, discover different careers and share their aspirations for the future.
In Haiti, thousands of children are growing up amid violence, displacement and disruptions to their education and basic social services. Yet they continue to dream and imagine a brighter future.
Under the theme “My Future Starts Today”, UNICEF and the Institute of Social Welfare and Research (IBESR), with support from Canada, brought together children aged 9 to 17 for a day of dialogue, discovery and self-expression. Through exchanges with professionals and activities focused on building self-confidence, the children gained a clearer understanding of the pathways leading to the careers they aspire to pursue.
Curious and enthusiastic, the children arrive with their questions, their dreams and a desire to discover what the future may hold. A day of listening, encounters and possibilities begins.
I have always dreamed of becoming a good anaesthesiologist. In the health centres I see, their role is so important in relieving pain. Today, I will finally be able to learn more, ask professionals my questions and nurture this aspiration that remains close to my heart despite everything we are going through.
Doctor, teacher, engineer, artist or child protection specialist: each child is invited to name the career they would like to pursue. Behind every answer lies a personal aspiration and, sometimes, a desire to contribute to the well-being of an entire community.
My greatest dream is to become a doctor so that I can care for people who have nothing, says Liguelta. For my very first project as an engineer, I want to build a modern hospital, because that is what my country needs most, shares Woodley.
Gathered in small groups, the children speak directly with professionals. The professionals describe their studies, their first steps, the challenges they faced and the choices that shaped their journeys.
Where you come from, the neighbourhood where you will sleep tonight, or the trauma of your past will never define your destiny. The road is difficult, that is true, but each of you can become what you wish through discipline, curiosity and hard work. Do not let anyone tell you that your dreams are too big for Haiti.
How does someone become a doctor, teacher or engineer? What studies are required? What qualities need to be developed? As the discussions continue, the children’s aspirations take on a more concrete form. They understand that a career is built step by step, through perseverance, curiosity and support.
As a future paediatrician, I want to begin now by understanding how to care for the children in my neighbourhood. Today, by listening to the professionals’ advice, I finally understand the steps I need to take, and I realise that my dream is not impossible. It is within my reach.
Behind every exchange, educators help keep the children’s curiosity alive, even during the most difficult periods. Their presence is a reminder that learning and dreaming cannot wait for a crisis to end.
Working with adolescents has taught me something fundamental: their curiosity and desire to learn are strengths, even in the face of hardship. As an educator and educational psychologist, my role goes beyond simply teaching natural sciences; it is also about rebuilding these young people’s self-esteem and giving them stable points of reference. Education cannot wait for the crisis to end. It is now, every day, that we must show them that their aspirations are legitimate and that their potential is the very foundation of Haiti’s reconstruction.
Some careers are familiar, while others are entirely new. By listening to the presentations, the children discovered possibilities they had never considered and broadened their understanding of the world of work.
After listening to the facilitators this morning, I finally understood what I want to do with my life: I want to become a school principal. I want to be the person who organises the classes, protects the teachers and gives every child, even the poorest, the opportunity to learn in a beautiful classroom.
Building one’s future also begins with self-awareness. Guided by a social worker, the children took part in psychosocial activities that encouraged them to express themselves, recognise their abilities and build confidence in their potential.
Through attentive, non-judgemental listening, I help children who have experienced forced displacement and extremely difficult circumstances to see their own situation differently. They are not passive victims. My role is to help them reconnect with their inner strengths and open up new perspectives so that they can believe in their abilities again.
For the other professionals present, introducing children to a career also means conveying a message: everyone, regardless of their past, has a role to play in rebuilding the country.
Young people are often intimidated by engineering, seeing it as an inaccessible field or one reserved for men. I showed them that skills have no gender and that their lived experience is a strength. This profession is, above all, a human tool for restoring dignity. You have every right to take part in rebuilding Haiti: do not let anyone exclude you from your dreams.
I had always been told that architecture was not a career for girls, that it was too difficult or reserved for men. I eventually believed it and gave up on my dream. But today, the facilitators showed me that a woman can do anything, that there are no barriers, and this helped me regain my confidence. From now on, I will say it loud and clear: I am going to study hard to become an architect and design the safe homes of the future for my country.
At the end of the day, the dreams remain, but they seem closer. The children leave with new ideas, practical guidance and greater confidence in their ability to shape their future. Many already know which career they would like to pursue. The youngest, such as Jamesley, are not there yet; they simply want to become everything. And after all, why not? Whatever form a dream takes, what matters is that it continues to exist.
I want to become a police officer, a doctor, a teacher… I want to be everything!
With support from Canada, UNICEF, IBESR and their partners are helping children and young people, particularly those affected by violence, to develop their skills, make their voices heard and look to the future with hope.