Teen Collects French Books For Haiti

“I guess I am impatient,”said Giselle Osborn, 17, of Social Circle. “I have never been one to sit back and wait for things to happen.” The teenager’s impatience and initiative has driven her to give back to Haiti almost two years after the earthquake hit the island.

On a trip through the Girl Scouts of America, Osborn went to Haiti to help build neighborhoods last August. There she learned about Camp Oasis, an orphanage where 40 girls, aged 4 to 18, are being housed, cared for, and educated. But because of lack of money, books are hardly available in the communities.

“There are 40 children to one teacher who sometimes has one book or no books at all to teach,” said Osborn. “Some of these children are lucky to get an eighth grade education.”

This inspired Osborn to collect French books for Haiti before she heads back for a second time later this month. “Only 10 percent of the population speaks French because it is considered the language of the elite, government or media,” said Osborn. “By giving these girls French books, it gives them a chance at becoming leaders one day.” In addition, she is also collecting school supplies for Camp Oasis.

After her trip, Osborn plans to start her own nonprofit called HIPPO, or Helping Initiate Powerful and Positive Outcomes. “I want to continue to do these projects and create opportunities for volunteerism. It’s important to know that just because a problem is big, it doesn’t mean that we should just give up on it completely,” she shared. ""I can’t help all of Haiti or all of Port Au Prince, but I can make a difference in the lives of 40 girls. That is significant to me. Those 40 girls might grow up and each help 40 more people and so on. When you throw a pebble in the water, the ripples go out a long way."

To donate books and supplies, contact Kathy Osborn at osbornkathy@att.net