NBA Players United

Haiti's Hero

By: Talia Bargil
For NBPA.com

Samuel Dalembert is a long way from home. And while it’s been 15 years since he scrounged to eat one meal of white rice a day and bathed outside with a bucket of rainwater, the Sacramento King is closer than ever to his native Haiti.

Since the catastrophic earthquake struck just outside Haiti’s capital of Port-au-Prince in mid-January, leaving 220,000 dead and 1.6 million homeless, Dalembert has returned to his hometown four times in the last seven months with a passionate mission to help his fellow people.

In the days and weeks following the tragedy, he worked alongside thousands of volunteers and organizations to bring clean water, food and medical supplies to the survivors of the devastation. From visiting makeshift hospitals to playing in the rubble with orphans, Dalembert worked around the clock to maximize every moment on the ground in Haiti. In partnership with UNICEF and Project Medishare, he also helped raise millions of dollars during the aftermath, working with corporations and individuals to see to it that their donations were properly allocated.

“Sammy is well known as a champion on the court, and I am happy to stand with him as a true champion for UNICEF and children around the globe,” said Caryl M. Stern, President & CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. “Sammy's talent is matched only by his generosity of spirit.”

Today, long after the camera crews have departed and many of the aid organizations have closed  up shop, his sights are set on the creation of The Dalembert Academy, an educational institute and athletic training facility in Haiti.

“My goal is to generate opportunities,” said Dalembert. “It’s great to give, but after that, what’s next? There has to be a plan in place in order for this country to change. It’s bigger than me, but there’s a point where you have to just start.”

Committed to $1 million of his personal funds, Dalembert has – and continues to – dedicate his off-season to the planning and groundbreaking of his Academy.

“As a people, we are very supportive of education. The problem is that schools are not public, and some parents must sacrifice not eating for days so they can send their kids to school. Many kids just don’t have the opportunity, and my Academy will provide a base for these children.”

A proud Haitian, Dalembert began his humanitarian work with the country immediately after making it to greener pastures. Shortly following his 2001 NBA Draft selection by the Philadelphia 76ers, the 6’11” center partnered with UNICEF and served as an ambassador for the organization’s work in Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.

Three years ago he founded the Samuel Dalembert Foundation (SDF), which works to better the lives of the people of Haiti and children all over the world through projects that empower individuals to seek out and achieve sustainable improvements in their daily lives.

Through his Foundation and partner organizations, Dalembert says his hope is to show the young people of Haiti that a better life exists if they receive an education and create a future for themselves.

“I remember that as kids we would gather around a small black and white TV that belonged to a friend in the neighborhood. We’d watch commercials, with all the smiling people, and think that was how the rich people lived…they were not starving, they had smooth skin,” he said. “I always wished that one day I could live like that. It was part of what kept us going, to know there’s a better opportunity out there, a better life. As kids, that’s why we didn’t give up.”

Dalembert says that as a child, he was accustomed to the difficult lifestyle and upbringing because he did not know otherwise. Even with 20 relatives living in three small rooms, he has fond memories of his family that found humor in every situation, no matter how grim.

“My life was perfect to me because I had a roof to sleep under and one meal a day. Many of my friends didn’t. Sometimes our metal roof would leak and we’d go outside and put a tarp on it, but I was lucky to have a roof at all. I was just thankful to be healthy…I lost a lot of friends who had it 10 times worse than me.”

Since childhood, Dalembert worked toward a future of success, and says he is blessed to have found it in professional basketball, a lucrative profession that has allowed him to help his fellow Haitians.

It’s no wonder the shot blocker received the 2009-10 J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award, as well as the NBA’s 2009 Community Assist Award…and he’s not nearly finished yet.

“My ultimate goal is to create an adequate town with hospitals, schools, churches, jobs…opportunity,” said Dalembert. “People might think I’m crazy, but you have to be crazy to achieve the impossible.”

Click here to read CNN.com's special feature on Dalembert's efforts to help his native Haiti.

Samuel Dalembert is a Haitian-Canadian professional basketball player who plays center for the Sacramento Kings. Dalembert began playing in Montreal, Quebec and played college basketball at Seton Hall University. Dalembert is known for his excellent shot blocking ability; he averages around two blocks per game, placing him among the league's elite in this category. He was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti and lived there for 14 years before moving to Montreal. After playing eight seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, he was traded to the Kings during the 2010 offseason.