Place Port-au-Prince

Age 19

Gender Female

Grade 9

Name of School Institute Octane Deslouches

Ghislaine is a single child who lives with her mother in Port-au-Prince. They live in an area of Port-au-Prince that has a lot of gang activity, so she stays close to home when she’s not at school or helping her mother sell in the market. Her mother goes to the large market in downtown Port-au-Prince every week and then resells her purchased goods at their local neighbourhood market. It’s a tough business – there is a safety risk in buying from the downtown market, and an economic risk in selling for such a small markup.

 

Although Ghislaine’s father is not living with them, he doesn’t live far away and remains active in her life. He used to have a small bakery, but it was destroyed in the 2010 earthquake. He now buys and resells bread from another bakery in town. Unfortunately, there are many others that do the same and he doesn’t make much of a living doing it.

 

Ghislaine would love to finish High School but realizes that it is unlikely that her parents will be able to continue to support her in their current situation. She is fearful of dropping out because she has seen many of her friends take a downward spiral when they lose hope in their future. Ghislaine is also determined to finish High School and learn a trade because she would like to help her mom move away from their dangerous neighbourhood.

 

Helping Ghislaine finish High School would bring so much hope to this small family.