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Vanessa Handal-Guenania

Vanessa Handal-Ghenania is the founder of VHG group Inc., early childhood language schools (daycares and preschools).
Born and raised in a trilingual household with French as her primary language, Vanessa and her family traveled around the world. Her parents, from an early start, gave her a taste for discovering new languages and cultures. As a young adult and thereafter as a mother of four children, Vanessa developed a passion for the field of Bilingual Early Childhood Education.
Upon her arrival in New York in the year 2000, Vanessa concentrated her career in childhood development. During those years, she earned two Masters’ degrees from Columbia University: One in bilingual Education, the other in School Building Administration.

As an educator, Vanessa gained experience both in the classroom and outside the classroom. Vanessa was a proud Primary English teacher for 3 years and the English department coordinator for 2 years at the Lycée Français de New York. Vanessa was also a founding teacher for New York’s first public bilingual French Elementary school, PS58 in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. After that, she was also Curriculum Developer and Administrator for New York’s first French American Charter school in Harlem.

In the spring of 2014, after the birth of her third son, Vanessa launched her first daycare, “Petits Poussins”. In a short three-year-span, she created three other daycares/Preschools around New York City (West Harlem and Upper East Side): Arc En Ciel (2014-2015), Petits Poussins Too (2016) and Bilingual Nest (2017) were created under the umbrella of VHG Group Inc, Early childhood language schools. As of today. Vanessa holds 7 schools located across Harlem, Upper East side, Lower East Side, and Brooklyn.

In 2018, Vanessa Handal-Ghenania an advocate for bilingualism, was nominated Knight to The Ordre des Palmes Académiques (order of Academic palms) by the French government for her work in promoting the French language and culture in the United States. This nomination was a testimony to her work and achievement in the bilingual education field in the United States.

For Vanessa, her “Petits Poussins” daycares and preschools are a dream come true!
She says: “When I first started this project, with my own children and their growth in mind, my vision was to create a “home away from home” for all children. When you walk into one of my schools, I want you to feel the warmth and love our staff provides on a daily basis. Our Core Values: Love, Fun, Duty are ingrained within us. At Petits Poussins, each child is celebrated. As an educator, it is my mission to make sure that all our children are provided with a nurturing environment to learn and grow and that they are seen as unique individuals. Our bilingual schools are comprised of a diverse, multi-lingual student and teaching body hence, this creates an extremely rich environment and makes our Petits Poussins schools extremely special.”
Petits Poussins daycares and preschools all provide a bilingual curriculum, inspired by the Education Nationale (France) and New York Department of Education, in French and English. Bilingual Nest also provides a bilingual Spanish option.
We are thrilled to have our centers as part of your community.

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On March 24, 2023, Vanessa Handal Ghenania, Founder and President of VHG Group Early Childhood Language Schools, was awarded the insignia of Chevalier of the Ordre des Palmes académiques by Fabrice Jaumont, Education Attaché of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the U.S., at Villa Albertine’s headquarters in New York.

Fabrice Jaumont spoke to Vanessa Handal Ghenania’s accomplishments:

Dear esteemed guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen, Mesdames, Messieurs,
Good Evening! Bonsoir. Sak Pasé. Honneur.

Nous sommes réunis aujourd’hui afin de marquer, de façon à la fois solennelle et chaleureuse, la volonté de la France d’honorer le parcours exceptionnel et intimement lié à notre pays d’une personne qui se consacre au quotidien à l’éducation des jeunes générations, mais aussi au rayonnement de la langue et de la culture françaises.

Tonight, we celebrate one honoree who is truly passionate about education and the French language. I am honored to confer upon Vanessa Handal Ghenania the insignia of chevalier of the Order of Academic Palms.

L’Ordre des Palmes Académiques (The Order of Academic Palms) was founded in 1808 by Napoleon Bonaparte, who appreciated the importance of education and thus established honorary titles as awards for dedication and achievement in the areas of teaching, scholarship, and research. The award was later made a ministerial Order under the French Minister of Education.

Today’s award recipient is being honored for her tireless efforts to promote the French language and culture in the United States.

Chère Vanessa,

Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, you were raised in a French speaking household where French language and culture played a significant role in your life.

Je salue les membres de ta famille qui sont venus de loin pour cet hommage. Bonjour à tous.

You had the opportunity to travel and see the world, and this inspired you to excel in your studies and to make an impact on the world.

Your journey has been filled with numerous accomplishments and challenges, from attending a French school in Haiti to living in Holland and Spain, where you perfected your Spanish. Your journey led you to New York City with just two suitcases and a credit card with a $900 limit.

Despite the challenges, you persevered, and your hard work and dedication landed you a position as an English as a Second Language teacher at the Lycée Français de New York. Your passion for education continued to grow, and you pursued a degree in Bilingual Education at Columbia University’s Teachers College, which prepared you not only to be a great teacher but also to become a leader in education.

You even helped us at the French Embassy to launch the bilingual revolution and create the first public, bilingual French school in New York, PS 58 where you taught for a few years. A school that has served thousands of children with a quality French dual language program that inspired many educators. J’ai une petite pensée pour notre amie Giselle qui nous regarde de là-haut.

Now a curriculum expert in bilingual education, you continued in this path and contributed to the development of the first French-American Charter School (NYFACS) in Harlem. That school too has thrived and, last September, we even brought French Minister of Education Pap Ndiaye to inaugurate their new middle school. Comme vous pouvez le voir, partout où Vanessa passe les écoles bilingues fleurissent. Elles deviennent même des beaux jardins que les dignitaires aiment visiter.

Bien sûr, il n’y a pas que le travail dans la vie.

Il y a aussi l’amour. Love. Ah love… You met Zohair in 2008. I hear you and Zohair decided to take a trip to Tunisia to meet his family? Sounds like a romantic adventure, right? Well, it was… until they realized that as a proud Haitian, you needed a visa to enter Tunisia. Can you imagine the stress they must have felt when they realized they might have to cancel the trip? But you, being the strong and confident woman that you are, turned to your partner and said, “If I don’t get to go to Tunisia, it’s a sign that our story together can’t continue.” Talk about pressure!

But thankfully, Zohair’s dad had a secret weapon – a connection at the Tunisian consulate. With his help, they were able to get your visa in just two hours, and you were on your way to Tunisia in no time.

It’s funny how something as small as a visa could have derailed your journey together, but thanks to your determination and a little bit of help from a friend, you were able to continue your story together.

Cheers to overcoming obstacles and making beautiful memories together, Vanessa!

And soon after that, you faced another joyful challenge when you gave birth to twin boys and then a third son, and later a little girl. Ladies and Gentlemen, four children in New York City. Four! Talk of overcoming obstacles and making beautiful memories together! Yes, indeed! Bonjour les enfants, vous pouvez être fiers de votre maman.

But this did not stop you from pursuing your passion. You launched your first home daycare, “Petits Poussins,” which quickly grew to four other daycares and preschools around New York City. Despite the pandemic, your determination and resilience shone through, and you raised funds to open four more schools. Today, you are the proud founder of eight schools around Harlem, the Upper East Side, and Brooklyn, serving close to 400 families and helping to spread the French language and culture on a daily basis.

Vanessa, your accomplishments and dedication to education are truly remarkable. Your efforts in spreading the French language and culture have had a significant impact on the lives of many families in New York City. Your passion, dedication, and hard work are an inspiration to us all. We are honored to have you among us and we congratulate you on this well-deserved recognition.

Fabrice Jaumont went on to present the insignia to Vanessa Handal Ghenania:

Vanessa Handal Ghenania, au nom du Gouvernement français, je vous fais Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes académiques.