Communication student works to build sch Through hard work, perseverance and a little bit of luck, one UWM student is building the connections and resources to achieve his goals: Construct a sustainable community in Haiti. The first step is to build a school. Steven Duclair is the CEO and founder of the nonprofit Sustain the Future. He will earn a bachelor’s degree with a major in interpersonal communication in August 2019. The plans for the school are already in motion. In July, Duclair traveled to Haiti to set up an office, meet with the Department of Education and maintain already established business and governmental connections. “Whatever community shows the most interest and engagement and is willing to invest is where we will build the school,” said Duclair. “When you have a high level of community engagement and investment, you solve problems much easier. Every person becomes a resource.” Duclair is working with local professionals across different disciplines to build this school, including Lauren Beckmann, principal of St. Robert School, and James Steiner, senior lecturer at UW-Madison’s Department of Planning and Landscape Architecture. “Steven has this very upbeat, charming, positive attitude that I think draws people to him,” Steiner said. “He has an interesting story, and the project is interesting. So, I’m very committed.” Making connections in Haiti Duclair and Steiner went to Haiti together in March with two goals: Finding land for the school and learning about the logistics of building a school. They accomplished both goals. What they didn’t plan on was the important professional connection they made. At breakfast one morning at their hotel, Duclair and Steiner saw some wealthy businessmen and officials across the room. Duclair decided to introduce himself and his plans for building a school. One of the businessmen he met was Reginald Abraham, a property developer with 2,000 acres of land and plans to build a new community for all levels of income in the town of Ganthier. Abraham was one of the people that Sustain the Future worked with during their trip in July. Sustain the Future’s new grant writer, Nakisha Adams, went down in July to talk to Abraham and experience Haiti firsthand.
10 • IN FOCUS • August, 2019
Steven Duclair (at rear, holding up shoes) and his team, including Emily Ruder (on Duclair’s left) and Niki center in Haiti last year. After that visit to donate shoes and water filters, Duclair and team returned this y
How donated shoes sparked inspiration Duclair and others brainstormed plans for the school after their first service trip to Haiti in the summer of 2018. Duclair and a few friends fundraised over $4,000 to go to the township of Cité Soleil to give away gently used shoes and build a water filter for a community center. Beckmann and her school had given monetary donations to Duclair and his colleagues and was one of the main partners for the shoe donation. The 2018 summer trip was a success, although Duclair thought he and his team could do more. “A pair of shoes, once it’s worn out, it’s worn out. Your mind, the education you receive, can never be taken away from you,” Duclair said. Duclair and some his friends from the summer trip came together at the end of 2018 to create the nonprofit Sustain the Future. The nonprofit’s mission to create a sustainable community, with building a school as their first project.
