Protect Dignity, Safety, and Learning in Matènwa
Help raise $250,000 by December 31 — all gifts are doubled.
Students in Matènwa are thriving because this community refuses to give up on what’s possible in Haiti. With more families fleeing Port-au-Prince, MCLC is welcoming new students who need stability, nourishment, and the safety of a nonviolent classroom.
Be 1 of 30 new Breakfast Club Supporters
Start a monthly gift of $30 or more, and the Once Here Foundation will match it meal-for-meal — so two children receive a nourishing breakfast every school day.
Prefer a one-time gift? Click here →
Education That Belongs to Everyone
In a time when one in four children in Haiti are out of school, the Matènwa Community Learning Center (MCLC) remains a place of safety, dignity, and possibility. Here on Lagonav Island, children learn in their own language, families grow their own food, and teachers lead with compassion—not fear.
For nearly 30 years, MCLC has shown what’s possible when education grows from local roots and communities are trusted to lead. Every day, students discover their own strength and potential—and the wider world begins to see what Haitian communities can achieve when they are empowered.
Your generosity helps make this model flourish. And the impact is growing.
Watch: A Day in the Life of an MCLC Student
What You Made Possible in 2025
Each number represents a child learning in safety, a teacher empowered to lead, and a family gaining the tools to thrive.
students enrolled this fall — the highest in MCLC’s history
teachers trained in nonviolent, native-language, participatory teaching
school directors mentored in compassionate, community-centered leadership
families planted new organic home gardens
new school gardens strengthened food security across Lagonav
rainwater tanks improved irrigation and productivity for families
What we Do
Matènwa Community School
Matènwa is redefining what education in Haiti can be—where children learn in their own language through creativity, equality, and hands-on exploration that inspires confidence, curiosity, and lasting change.
Institute for Learning
The Institute for Learning is transforming education across Haiti. We’ve trained teachers at more than 120 schools to make learning joyful, peaceful, and rooted in rural life—while shaping the next generation of Haitian leaders.
Mother Tongue Books
Students are creating vibrant storybooks in Haitian Creole—now more than 2,000—awakening a love of reading and the power to tell their own stories with creativity, confidence, and imagination.
Creole Gardens
Matènwa’s Creole Gardens bring learning to life as students and their families grow food, care for the earth, and inspire thousands of others to farm organically and protect the island of Lagonav.
Summer Camp
Camp fills Matènwa with joy as hundreds of children and adults gather to sing, dance, create, and learn—celebrating local talent, building confidence, and renewing hope in tough times.
Art Matènwa
By turning natural and regionally sourced materials into vibrant works of art, Matènwa’s artisans create opportunities that educate, empower, and strengthen community life.
Why Matènwa?
Amid Haiti’s uncertainty, Matènwa offers something rare and powerful:
a proven, community-led model that helps children learn, families grow food, and teachers lead with confidence.
MCLC works because it is rooted in the realities of rural Haitian life:
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Children learn in Haitian Creole, the only language all Haitians share—dramatically improving literacy and comprehension.
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Teachers use nonviolent, child-centered methods, replacing fear with curiosity and respect.
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Families grow home and school gardens, strengthening nutrition, resilience, and independence.
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Local leadership guides every decision, ensuring the work honors community wisdom and creates real, lasting change.
For nearly three decades, Matènwa has shown what’s possible when communities are trusted, supported, and empowered. And every gift helps this model reach more children across Lagonav and beyond.
Latest News From Matènwa
2025 Annual Newsletter
Step inside MCLC and meet the students and teachers whose stories of perseverance will stay with you. You’ll see what hope looks like, how it grows, and the difference that […]
November 2025 Newsletter
Francia’s first graders learning to plant seeds in the school garden. Do you remember the first time you planted a……
October 2025 Newsletter
Classrooms where children grow curious instead of fearful and confident instead of silent. Classrooms that embrace dignity, equality, and a lot of……
Newsletter 2024
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You can help change the future of education in Haiti.
Upcoming Events
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