The Power of a Dream ― One Man's Determination to Pursue His Ideals

In Haiti, heirs of a glorious past, we remain a group of people capable of great things in the face of adversity, motivated by a surprising individual strength to survive and provide for our individual needs. However, 200 years of history also attest to our inability to build a better environment for ourselves. In his book entitled “THE POWER OF A DREAM,” Mathias Pierre proves that an individual’s social or economic origins or the color of his skin cannot condemn him. Education and determination to fulfill his dream led Mr. Pierre out of a precarious situation and into one of a model entrepreneur, the embodiment of success. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125064967 …This book recounts his family’s origins and their migratory trek from his native city to Port-au-Prince, the capital, to escape the shame of paternal failure. His academic career from elementary school to high school was fraught with difficulties due to miserable economic conditions and the challenges of getting an education in Haiti. His university studies were seen as a culmination of his ambitions, like the fulfillment of his father’s dream which set him free. Alas, it was only an illusion that those of the middle class experience at their own expense. He still had to cling to a dream, to the magic of a dream, to believe in the power of education, in perseverance that pays off at the end of the journey, in success that depends on discipline. That’s hard in Haiti where attitudes and paradigms are not conducive to prosperity creation; survival, destruction of whatever prosperity symbolizes, and where trust is a rare commodity. In 2008, Mathias Pierre learned at his expense that it is not enough to succeed in Haiti to be accepted, success must be achieved with others. GaMa was the target, like a lot of other businesses, of food riots. Who is Mathias Pierre? When I look back at my past and at my current involvement in my country’s business sector, I realize not only is it possible to change one’s future, but the future can be learned and shaped. I came from a very precarious economic situation and I was able to establish model of financial performance by applying certain principles that I am revealing today in my book: “THE POWER OF A DREAM.” http://www.nextbillion.net/blog/2010/05/17/moving-from-survival-to-entrepreneurship-in-haiti.)