Matènwa Community School

Children and teachers engage in hands-on education, critical thinking, and mutual respect.

Institute for Learning

Teacher training for schools seeking to find a more effective way to teach.

Mother Tongue Books

Empowering children to become literate by reading and writing in their native language.

Women’s Leadership Fund

Seven Matènwa graduates are now continuing their university education—fully supported for the year—thanks to this community.

Creole Gardens

Students cultivate organic produce, practice environmental stewardship.

Summer Camp

Inspiring meaningful exchanges that strengthen community ties and inspire collaborative learning.

Art Matènwa

Nurturing creative expression by supporting women artisans.

Community Outreach

Help students and families care for elders and build lasting food security.

College Scholarships

Matènwa grads who've earned full-tuition scholarships need your help to cover costs like housing, meals, books, and more.

Support Matènwa programs

A Father’s Story

May 28, 2026

Today, Kenny’s three children are at MCLC. Because of people like you, they receive a hot breakfast before class. They learn in Haitian Creole. They work in school gardens and classrooms where children are taught without violence. They are respected.

That’s the promise of Matènwa — even now, even in this difficult moment. And more families than ever are depending on MCLC to keep that promise. This year, 350 children are enrolled — the highest number in the school’s history.

By June 30, we need to close a $180,000 gap so MCLC can keep providing teachers, breakfast, books, gardens, and safe classrooms for children and families like Kenny’s who are counting on Matènwa.

You may never meet every child who eats breakfast at Matènwa, every parent who sleeps a little easier, or every teacher who makes room for one more student — but your generosity and solidarity makes all of this possible.

Did you miss Cherica's Story? Watch as she shares how she found safety, stability, and a place to learn after fleeing the violence in Port-au-Prince.

More Stories

Ways to Survive

As our present pushes forward in difficult and uncertain ways, survival holds a multi-layered definition that is unique for each of us. Self-preservation is not […]...

August Update 2016

Dear friends of Matènwa, Final exams are done, and school is out for summer! Thanks to your support, we completed another successful school year, here […]...

Congratulations Louiseda Sumé

Last year we were proud to announce 83% of our first ever graduating class passed the National exams. Only 37% of students passed these exams […]...