People flood the streets of Haiti. The oppressive tropical heat beats down as throngs of people bustle through streets lined with dirt and litter. The smell and noise are stifling.
A four-year-old girl wanders the streets with a few other forgotten children. Unseen by most passersby, the young girl in the tattered dress mumbles, “Grangou.”
It’s the Haitian Creole word for “hungry.”
Trapped on a poor island nation with few resources, the young orphans are left to fend for themselves on the streets. Countless abandoned, homeless children live on the rough streets of Haiti’s capital city, Port-au-Prince.
80% of all Haitians live at or under the poverty line. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, where jobs, education, food, and resources are scant.
Unfortunately, a child’s cries of hunger are a common sound on the streets of Port-au-Prince. But today, something’s different.
American couple Carrie and Michael Gibson hear the little girl cry out, “Grangou.”
Carrie and Michael Gibson
In what seems like a world away from the shores of Port-au-Prince, married couple Carrie and Michael Gibson raise their family deep in the heart of Texas.
Michael was a banker and Carrie worked as an event manager in the coffee industry. The Gibsons did well for themselves and led a comfortable life in the U.S. with their three children.
However, the Gibsons felt their family wasn’t quite complete. They started the process for an international adoption to expand their family.
Carrie and Michael traveled to Haiti in 2007 for the adoption process. Although overjoyed to welcome twins to their growing family, the Gibsons were dismayed by poor conditions on the island nation.
The image of the four-year-old girl crying, “Grangou,” replayed over and over in their heads.
The Gibsons were able to adopt their twins from Haiti, but knew they could make a bigger impact. After praying for more direction, the couple knew exactly what they had to do.
The beginnings of Grangou
The Gibsons knew they had a duty to provide spiritual, physical, and mental support to the children of Haiti.
Nearly two years after their first visit, the Gibsons returned to Haiti. Their mission: to create a charity to support the children of Port-au-Prince. But what should they call their new charity?
The word “Grangou” was branded so clearly in their minds as they thought of the hungry, young girl. They decided to found their charity, Grangou, in 2008.
Instead of creating a shelter right off the bat, the Gibsons built relationships with kids living on the streets first. The Gibsons would check in on the children once a month and provide supplies.Carrie and Michael knew they were onto something.
Then, catastrophe struck Haiti. A January 2010 earthquake absolutely devastated the region. The 7.0 magnitude earthquake claimed the lives of over 220,000 people.
This great tragedy had a silver lining: the earthquake paved the way for Carrie and Michael to finally open a home for at-risk children in Haiti.
Grangou’s Travay Bondye home and charitable programs
The Gibsons wanted to provide not just a safe place for the children of Port-au-Prince, but a home.
They founded the Travay Bondye home for children in 2010. Named by the 70 children who live in the home, Travay Bondye translates to “God’s Work.”
And that’s just what the Gibsons are trying to do.
Travay Bondye gives the children three meals a day, clean water, medical care, clothing, and an education. The home provides both a physical and mental refuge where the children can overcome the pain of poverty and disaster. Although they started with 40 kids, the home can now accommodate up to 70 children.
Grangou also offers other charitable programs. They regularly partner with churches to head off mission trips and other outreach programs.
After seeing children age out of the Travay Bondye home, Carrie and Michael knew they had to provide ongoing support to these fledgling adults. They created the Teens in Transition (TNT) program.
TNT provides aid to the children who age out of Travay Bondye, preparing them to be self-sufficient and successful in the world. Travay Bondye’s teens receive training to help them become productive members of society once they turn 18.
A beacon of hope in Haiti
After ten years of giving back, Travay Bondye has had many success stories.
Carrie and Michael structured Grangou so every penny donated goes towards the children. It’s this commitment to the children’s growth that makes miracles possible. In fact, a child who went through the program is now a pre-med in college.
Ten years after founding Grangou, the Gibsons are committed to raising awareness about the extreme difficulties of life in Haiti.
As they aim to feed the hearts, minds, and bodies of Haitian children, the Gibsons know this is only the beginning.
After years of lease issues, the duo is currently raising $290,000 to purchase a permanent home for Travay Bondye. As Grangou expands their mission in Haiti, it’s clear the country’s future is bright.
Learn more about Grangou’s mission.
