It All Started In 2011..
As Marlène Morin was visiting the Dominican Republic in 2011 with her family, she was curious to discover what this beautiful country had to offer beyond the picture perfect tourist attractions. By exploring more than just this country’s heavenly landscapes, Marlène discovered one of the most beautiful part of the Dominican Republic: its people.
Dominicans greeted Marlène with open arms. However, as grateful as she was to have discovered such an amazing culture and welcoming people, Marlène quickly encountered the harsh realities which locals must face when it comes to having access to basic health care.
A Desire To Help
From a very young age, Marlène Morin has always been aware of her ardent desire to help others. At the age of five, she listened attentively to her aunt Georgette, who had come back from Honduras, recount her humanitarian experience.
During her visit to a local community near Punta Cana, it was an encounter with a young mother who carried her 16-month-old son, with the fear of losing him, which became her central source of motivation. Her child had a fever and was waiting for medical aid that is easily treated in Canada. Three days later, the little boy had passed away and his parents were mourning the loss of their child. Do you know what could have saved their family’s story? Around 20 Canadian dollars worth of medication.
As a nurse and a mother of 4, Marlène Morin was utterly shaken by the life-saving impact access to health care could bring to families.
The Start Of Marlène Sans Frontière
For many trips to come, Marlène Morin arranged meetings with local medical professionals and members of the community capable of helping in order to securely establish a local non-profit structure. After a few months of hard work and determination an organized structure of helpers was established, governmental documents and procedures were completed, our humanitarian aid program was created and objectives were set. Never again should parents fear losing their child for $20 worth of medication.
Marlène Sans Frontière was born.