Dave Fils-Aimé
“Being there every day, leaving for work early in the morning and seeing that there wasn’t much available to the people in that neighborhood, really made me want to do something to contribute,”
Dave Fils-Aimé discovered his love of basketball as a child in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. He served two seasons as the director of operations for the Yale men’s basketball team while earning a degree in political science. When Fils-Aimé returned to Haiti to work for the United Nations Development Programme he was drawn to basketball as a way of enriching young people’s lives. “Being there every day, leaving for work early in the morning and seeing that there wasn’t much available to the people in that neighborhood, really made me want to do something to contribute,” he recalls. Fils-Aimé started Baskètbòl pou Ankadre Lajenès (BAL) (“Basketball to Uplift the Youth”), where he serves as executive director, with the mission to use basketball as a tool to mentor and educate Haitian youth.
Fils-Aimé holds a master’s degree in human development and psychology from Harvard University and has worked in American politics at the Embassy of Haiti in Washington, D.C., and for the United Nations Foundation. He is also the founder and president of DaliReel Productions, a multimedia company focused on changing the global narrative about Haiti and highlighting the country’s culture and history.
About Baskètbòl pou Ankadre Lajenès
Baskètbòl pou Ankadre Lajenès (BAL) creates community and opportunity for girls and boys growing up in Martissant and Cité Soleil, two of Haiti's most underserved neighborhoods. BAL's programs and services, including critical thinking, basketball training, tutoring, cultural education, scholarships, and health services, help young people achieve their full potential and become agents of change in their communities.
Learn more about Baskètbòl pou Ankadre Lajenès here.