Opening Doors Through Education: Scholar Dalens Mèrisier
As a child growing up in Lieve, a sector of Petit-Trou de Nippes, Dalens Mèrisier (pictured) dreamed of becoming a lawyer. The youngest of six siblings, he watched his parents work tirelessly to provide for the family. Recognizing his family's severely limited financial resources, the idea of attending college and pursuing a law degree felt almost impossible.
That changed in September 2024, when Dalens learned about a scholarship opportunity offered by Locally Haiti to attend the Business and Technology Institute (BTI) in Les Cayes. He jumped at the opportunity, put in the hard work, and was overjoyed to be selected as one of the nine scholarship recipients.
The BTI Scholarship covers tuition, housing, school fees, a laptop, and a living stipend. Receiving this comprehensive scholarship turned Dalens’ dream of attending college into a reality.
Dalens began his studies at BTI in October 2024. He quickly realized that succeeding in his new environment would require more than just academic ability.
“When I first entered BTI, my biggest challenge was adapting to the new pace of life. It wasn’t easy to shift from a traditional school system to an environment where I had to take more responsibility for myself. I had to learn to manage my time—to read, research, prepare presentations, and stay on top of my studies—even when I sometimes felt lost or didn’t know where to begin.”
To overcome this challenge, Dalens took time to observe and learn from other students who were already familiar with the system. “I asked a lot of questions and formed small study groups with classmates so we could support each other, and that helped me build confidence.”
Dalens also introduced discipline into the way he organized weekly tasks. “Success equals hard work plus discipline,” Dalens explains. “No matter how you work, you cannot achieve your objectives if you are not disciplined.”
During his first semester, a new field of study captured Dalens’ interest…administration. “Nowadays, I have forgotten about my past dreams [to be a lawyer],” he says. “I love administration more than all other areas of study.”
While he is not yet certain where his path will lead, Dalens remains deeply committed to his studies and is both hopeful and optimistic about the possibilities ahead.
“This experience has shaped me. It’s teaching me to not fear change and is setting me on the right path to grow intellectually and emotionally,” Dalens shares. “My current dream is to work with determination to become a competent professional and a committed actor in my community.”
“After my studies at BTI, I plan to do several things, despite the challenges of the country. I believe things won’t always stay the same.” Dalens says. “With that in mind, I aim to find a job in an institution where I can work as an administrator. I also hope to work as an accountant, my field of specialization. I plan to create my own business to serve the population, and I intend to help my community in any way I can.”
Grateful for this incredible opportunity, Dalens feels confident that education is the key to opening new doors. He is driven by a clear purpose…to improve his family’s financial situation and help build a better life for his family and greater community.
A group of current scholarship recipients, pictured left to right: Johnny Charles, Rolande Mondesir, Dalens Mèrisier, Angela Jovelie Acquissa, Olière Cadet, and Djenica Champagne.
Locally Haiti has provided higher education and technical scholarships to more than 35 students in education, agriculture, nursing, accounting, business, plumbing, and solar technician work. Over 90% of graduates have returned to live and work in the local community. We are currently supporting 15 students at the Episcopal University in Les Cayes, including Dalens.
Scholarships are made possible by a grant from Episcopal Relief & Development. We are deeply grateful for their support.
To learn more about our education initiative click here.