Sabina Carlson Robillard - The earthquake that struck Haiti on the 12th of January, 2010, changed a lot of things for many people, myself included. I came back to help as a fluent speaker of Haitian creole, and I stumbled almost immediately upon Cite Soleil. Notorious for its violence and cold-heartedness, Cite Soleil, I discovered, was an incredible dynamic community full of self-reliant and interdependent people, completely stigmatized by the outside world. Defying everyone’s advice to “stay away from Cite Soleil,” I moved in, forged friendships, and became somewhat of an advisor to a young social movement called Konbit Soley Leve.

Savela Jacques - My community, Cite Soleil, is located in the district of Port-au-Prince. While it is true that Cite Soleil neighbors wealthier areas, the contrast in lifestyles resembles that of two different countries. More than 300,000 people make their home in an area that most outsiders know only as Haiti’s largest slum. I am committed to helping my country and community, whose name means “City of The Sun,” regain its pride and honor.

Louino Robillard - I was raised in Cite Soleil, Haiti’s largest slum and one of the most infamous slums in the world. When my community was overrun by gangsters and they threatened everyone who went to school, I recruited students by the hundreds. Somehow in the midst of the violence, I held onto my conscience. And as I grew older, I found other young Soleyans who were daring to hold onto their consciences and transform Cite Soleil into a peaceful, clean community. We banded together in konbit¸ the traditional cooperatives of our ancestors, and began a social movement called Konbit Soley Leve.