Former HELP Student Daniel Tillias Receives 2019 CNN Heroes Nomination

NEW YORK, Aug. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Haitian Education Leadership Program—HELP— (www.uhelp.net), a non-profit with a campus located in Port au Prince, Haiti providing university/college scholarships to underserved Haitian students, is excited to announce the nomination of former HELP student Daniel Tillias as a 2019 CNN Hero (www.cnn.com/2019/08/01/world/cnnheroes-daniel-tillias-sakala/index.html). 

In 2007, Daniel Tillias, one of the very first students to be sponsored by HELP, founded SAKALA—which translates to the "Community Center for Peaceful Alternatives"—in his childhood neighborhood of Cite Soleil, a notorious slum in Port-au-Prince.  SAKALA offers free afterschool programs including tutoring, sports, gardening, community development and conflict resolution programs for local children. 

Growing up in Cite Soleil, Daniel had the chance to see the many difficulties affecting Haiti's poor.  At HELP Daniel began to see how education can transform people and communities and how he could bring positive change to his country.  "I consider that all that I do right now is because of the support of HELP and the access they gave me to higher education," he says.

HELP promotes social justice through merit and needs based university scholarships in Haiti where only 1% of youth can enroll in college.  HELP's mission is to create professional and civic leaders that remain in Haiti to expand opportunities for all Haitians. Through its core program, HELP provides scholarships at Haitian universities; dormitory housing; career and academic advising; books and supplies; stipends and; thesis support to straight A students from disadvantaged backgrounds.  HELP also has its own four-year curriculum in Citizenship & Leadership and English as a Second Language, in addition to a two-year curriculum in Information Technology.

To date, over 200 Haitians have earned a university degree through HELP.

Haitian Education Leadership Program64 Fulton StNew York NY 10038646-485-8667www.uhelp.netDevelopment Department [email protected]

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SOURCE Haitian Education Leadership Program