Daniel Tillias

Daniel co-founded what would become SAKALA in 2002 with 9 other young people in an effort to promote peace, reconciliation, tolerance and truth for a new Haiti.  The son of a pastor, Daniel grew up in Cite Soleil, the largest underdeveloped area of Port-au-Prince, and of all Haiti.  During his early childhood, he witnessed first-hand the misery often experienced in the neighborhood, and understood the roots of the violence that emerged in the 1990s and that continues today.  After high school, Daniel chose to study law in order to help those who have been marginalized by the Haitian legal system.

Daniel worked as a law trainee in one of the most prominent law firms in Haiti (which represented the victims of the 1991 coup in Haiti) and attended a University of Pittsburgh legal exchange program.  Daniel left law school amid violent uprisings in Cite Soleil, to focus on building his organization.  He created a program to promote peacebuilding and to benefit the less fortunate, especially children and youth. While a director at Pax Christi Ayiti, Daniel introduced sports as a means of peacebuilding, through the SAKALA youth empowerment program, which now incorporates athletics, agronomy, and educational activities for 250 youth from different neighborhoods in Cite Soleil.  Daniel is a well-respected community leader and the recipient of several awards for his peace efforts.

Felder Jean Paul

Felder is an award-winning social entrepreneur and manager, and is the founder and chief executive of Collibel Haiti.  He has nine years of experience in the business field, where he started his business with $10, eventually growing it to an annual income of more than $15,000. An EGI graduate, Felder served as teaching assistant to Professor Tom in the Management department from 2009 to 2010.  He also currently uses his experience as a trainer and consultant for young entrepreneurs in Jacmel (Experience Jacmel).  Felder grew up in Cite Soleil, and is passionate about youth development at SAKALA, and especially for those children from low income families.  Felder has won top awards in 2014 for the Notre Dame University (USA) and EGI (Haiti) Business Plan Competition, 2009 for Best Student in Social and Entrepreneurship Class, and 2008 for Best Teacher of the Mimi’s World School.

Herode Garry Laurent

Herode is a co-founder and program director at SAKALA, focusing his efforts in peacebuilding among Haitian communities. He has used sport as a medium to teach and promote peace, education, community service, and protection for the environment. Herode was raised in Cite Soleil, and his personal mission is now to empower even the most impoverished children to dream and create… and sees SAKALA as a place where they can do just that.

Following high school, Herod attended university and law school, with the goal of improving justice for the people of his native community.  While at university, he also learned journalism and communication, which he used as a sports columnist for National Radio Haiti. He strives to raise awareness of the most marginalized members of Cite Soleil, and to inspire development in underserved communities. He sees his key role at SAKALA in innovation and operations.

SAKALA BOARD Members

Daniel Tillias (president), Vladimir Laguerre, Cassandre Charles, Moliere Louis Charles, Nancy Young

Program Staff

Corps d'Moniteurs

Our Corps d'Moniteurs members comprise our intern leadership program.  These young adults take on specific responsibilities within SAKALA to develop leadership and management experience.  They make us proud to be a part of SAKALA!

Administration Moniteurs:

Mischebah, Robine, and Downie

Athletics Moniteurs:

Beccacha and Frantzso

Agronomy Moniteurs:

Rebecca and Jeffry

Interns

SAKALA partners with local universities to provide internship opportunities for current students.