Sister Marie Jeanne Petit Jean grew up in the fertile Artibonite Valley, located in the central region of Haiti, one of the world’s poorest countries. As a child, she watched the nuns from her community leave for assignments in far-off locations and return later with inspirational stories about the schools, health programs, and other initiatives they had helped to support. Because their work involved helping the extremely poor, the nuns made a lasting impression on Marie Jeanne, who was also no stranger to hardship.

Marie Jeanne was just a child when her father died, leaving her mother to shoulder the burden of supporting the entire family. But she too was very sick, and could do little to earn enough money to send her children to school. Marie Jeanne, however, was fortunate to have a godmother who could pay her school fees and expenses, and she was able to make it through college, earning a degree in education. She then spent several years teaching disadvantaged children free of charge, before following in the footsteps of the nuns that had so inspired her as a young girl.

Ten years have passed since Sister Marie Jeanne became a nun in the Order of Ste. Therese de l’enfant Jesus (St. Therese of the baby Jesus). During that time, she served in various regions of her home country, working particularly with the poorest of the poor. As the current principal of LiFA’s school in the rural community of Marbial, Sister Marie Jeanne has no shortage of responsibilities to keep her busy. In addition to her daily religious duties, including meditating and attending mass before the sun rises, she manages a staff of 17 teachers and a student body of 835 children ages 4-12. Sister Marie Jeanne is also responsible for overseeing the school budget and ensuring that the school’s textbooks and other supplies sufficiently cover the ever-increasing numbers of children that enroll each year.

As the school’s principal, the Sister’s first priority is the welfare of her students, whose names she knows by heart. When a child has not been to school for two or more consecutive days, she will often visit the family’s home to see if there is a problem. And, although many live a two-hour walk away over hilly terrain, she remains steadfast in her resolve.

For the committed Sister Marie Jeanne, her plans for the future are clear and unquestionable: To continue her life of service, bringing education to the most disadvantaged communities in her country.