Somerville Haitian Coalition

Since RESPE: Ayiti’s inception, the Somerville Haitian Coalition has remained a strong partner and resource. Franklin Dalambert, Executive Director of the Somerville Haitian Coalition, traveled with RESPE: Ayiti to Balan in the summer of 2008, He helped facilitate the community health focus groups dialogues and connected with the RESPE: Balan members. The Somerville Haitian Coalition supports RESPE: Ayiti’s work by connecting RESPE: Balan with the Boston Haitian Diaspora. When RESPE: Boston invited three undergraduates from Balan to participate in the Institute for Global Leadership’s Global Poverty and Inequality symposium in 2008 and the Global Cities in 2009, Mr. Dalambert introduced the Haitian students to Haitian Coalition members and other leaders within the Haitian Diaspora. In addition, he has invited RESPE: Boston to participate in Haitian Coalition board meetings. The Somerville Haitian Coalition will be integral in building relationships between RESPE: Ayiti and Haitian medical professionals and institutions in Boston. As a native of Limbe, a town about 30 minutes from Balan, Mr. Dalambert has contacts in Justinian Hospital in Cap-Haitien, one of Haiti’s premiere medical facilities. The Diaspora also helped with fund raising efforts to support the Grassroots Health Initiative in the summer of 2010.