Malya Villard-Appolon

Malya Villard-Appolon is a Haitian activist for women's rights and domestic violence prevention. She is the co-founder of the Commission of Women Victims for Victims (KOFAVIV), an organization that provides services and support to victims of violence against women in Haiti.

She was named a CNN Hero in 2012 for her work helping victims of sexual violence receive access medical care, shelter, legal counsel and psychological support, especially in the wake of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

Activism

KOFAVIV Along with Eramithe Delva, Villard-Appolon founded KOFAVIV, an organization that provides survivors of rape and other forms of sexual violence with psychological, medical, and legal support. KOFAVIV is a Creole acronym that stands for Commission of Women Victims for Victims. KOFAVIV provides a variety of services to survivors of sexual assault, both short-term and long-term. Directly after an assault, KOFAVIV provides immediate medical care and someone to accompany survivors to hospitals if they need more extensive care. The organization also provides information about how to avoid infections and stay healthy. During the longer course of recovery, KOFAVIV provides trauma-specific mental health support and legal aid if the survivor chooses to pursue legal action.

CNN Hero Award In 2012, Villard-Appolon was named one of the Top 10 CNN Heroes of the year for her work helping victims of sexual assault after the earthquake. She received a $50,000 award for being selected as a CNN Hero, which she used to fund education programs for children in Haiti and to provide increased security to those involved with KOFAVIV.

Personal life Malya Villard-Appolon is a Haitian native who was motivated to start KOFAVIV after being raped in 1992 and 2003. In 2010, she was the victim of attempted rape as well. With her late husband, she has one daughter who was also raped. Appolon's husband was beaten to death after trying to save her from being raped. Her family's experience with rape and sexual assault has been a major factor in her work to help Haitian women.