Every morning at Pi Gwo Byen begins with reflection, kindness, and the joyful call-and-response of “Ki Moun Nou? Pi Gwo Byen!” This daily ritual builds belonging, confidence, and a sense of identity that shapes each child’s future.

When Hurricane Isaac pushed the sea to our doorstep, the community of Pi Gwo Byen gathered in the school for safety. Today, our Earthship classrooms protect children and families during storms, offering strength, calm, and hope on La Gonâve.

The story of our school began at a water well in La Gonâve, when a boy named TiTen offered to carry my bucket. That simple act of kindness grew into our first class of 12 children — and eventually a school that continues to thrive today.

In 2010, a chance conversation in a Port-au-Prince internet café led me to La Gonâve — Haiti’s “forgotten island.” What I found there was both beauty and urgent need. It became the place where our first class began, and where Greater Good Haiti still grows today.

At Greater Good Haiti, our school on La Gonâve was never meant to stand apart from the community. Parents sit at the table for report cards, teachers grow into leaders, and local directors now guide the school’s future. This is what true sustainability looks like — education built by and for the community.

Updates on our Covid-19 response, Earthship build, and what’s been happening at Lekol Pi Gwo Byen.

Pi Gwo Byen gets a new gate!