The philosophy of the Haitian Multi-Service Center (HMSC), a community based organization in the Dorchester section of Boston, is one of native linguistic and cultural familiarity as a vehicle for increasing literacy. Founded in 1978, the Center's approach to the illiteracy problem is to teach students to read and write first in their native language, Kreyol, and then in English.

The Haitian Multi Service Center has been successful in facing and solving a number of serious problems as they introduced this native language approach. One problem was that the students resisted learning Kreyol because they believed that Kreyol was for poor, uneducated people. Since Kreyol is not a language with any social status, many students did not see the point of learning in that language, and wanted to join English as a Second Language (ESL) classes immediately. Other problems included the limited availability of trained teachers who could speak Kreyol and the scarcity of texts in the native language.

Over time, the Center found solutions to these problems. The resistance towards learning Kreyol was discussed in open meetings. The students expressed their views and through conversation about the linguistic, sociopolitical, and sociocultural value of learning Kreyol; the negative attitude towards Kreyol dissipated.

Subsequently, the need for bilingual teachers who could relate to the students was realized. A teacher-training project was created and most teachers are either Haitian or speak Kreyol fluently.

The Center found that using the students' own writings as texts had a great impact on their fellow students. Consequently, a program magazine that included a collection of student writings was born. Today, the magazine is used like a textbook. Another publication, a collection of stories by refugees about their transition to life in the United States, is also used as a text.

While the Center's original goal was to provide only ESL instruction, because of students' suggestions over the years, HMSC also provides social services such as maternal and health education, AIDS education, counseling and advocacy, document translation, bilingual child care and refugee resettlement.

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