What’s Next for Literacy in Rural Haiti?
A Movement Rooted in Language, Dignity, and Community
For decades, rural Haitian children have faced the same barriers to learning: instruction in a foreign language, classrooms built on fear rather than curiosity, and schools unable to meet basic needs like food, water, and trained teachers. These challenges don’t reflect a lack of ability or motivation—they reflect systems that were never designed to help children thrive.
MCLC exists to change that—not by imposing outside solutions, but by proving that children learn best in their own language, in nonviolent classrooms, with teaching rooted in community life.
The Challenge
Most Haitian schools teach in French, even though only about 5–10% of Haitians speak it fluently. Children begin school memorizing lessons they don’t understand, and many never fully learn to read—even in Creole, their mother tongue.
Additional barriers compound the problem:
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Many teachers lack training or resources.
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Corporal punishment and verbal humiliation remain common discipline methods.
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Children arrive hungry, making concentration nearly impossible.
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National exams are based on French-language memorization rather than comprehension.
The result: rural children are set up to fail—not because they lack talent, but because they’re taught in a language and system that does not honor who they are.
A Different Approach: Learning in Relationship
MCLC was co-founded in 1996 by Haitian educator Abner Sauveur and American educator Chris Low to rethink what school could be—starting in Matènwa on the rural island of Lagonav. The school’s approach is built on a few core commitments:
1. Haitian Creole as the language of learning
Children learn to think, read, write, and create in their mother tongue. French is taught as a second language—not a gatekeeper to learning.
2. Nonviolent, gender-equitable classrooms
Students, teachers, and families learn in a culture of mutual respect, dialogue, and shared responsibility. Corporal punishment is prohibited.
3. Reading through writing
Children write and illustrate their own Mother Tongue Books—culturally relevant stories that make reading joyful, meaningful, and accessible.
4. Learning grounded in real life
Gardening, art, music, science, community problem-solving, and practical skills are woven into the curriculum. Education is hands-on, useful, and alive.
5. Teachers supported to grow
Professional development includes coaching, classroom observations, ongoing mentoring, and training rooted in MCLC’s proven model.
6. Community partnerships beyond the school walls
Parents, teachers, and neighbors apply the same principles of respect and collaboration to solve social, economic, and environmental challenges together.
This is not simply a better school—it’s a model for rural, community-led development.
From One School to a Movement
MCLC began as a single classroom. Over nearly three decades, it has grown into:
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a full elementary school with a breakfast program and summer camp
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a secondary school offering technology, internships, and leadership preparation
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an Institute of Learning that trains and mentors teachers across the island
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a network of community programs improving food security, health, housing, and resilience
Impact Highlights
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USAID/Australian Aid/World Vision grant winner (2012)
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First and second graders in partner schools went from 0 wpm to 26–34.5 wpm in Creole reading fluency; comprehension rose from 0% to 40%
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Third graders at MCLC read 73 wpm with 100% comprehension, compared to 23 wpm with 17% comprehension in peer schools
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Model expanded to 120+ schools, reaching more than 7,000 students across Haiti
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Awarded Haiti’s first National Award for Excellence in Pedagogical Innovation
And policy change followed:
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The Ministry of Education now subsidizes Creole books for early grades.
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Ministry Inspectors banned physical and verbal abuse in schools.
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Teacher networks across Lagonav are shifting toward child-centered practices.
Change at MCLC is influencing change nationwide.
Where We’re Headed: Vision 2030
By 2030, MCLC aims to:
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support a 230-school network of Institute-trained directors across Lagonav
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train 1,000+ teachers and administrators
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reach 25,000+ students
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accompany at least 4 schools to become full Matènwa Model Learning Centers
This is a long-term transformation: a future in which rural children learn with joy, dignity, and opportunity—without needing to leave their communities to succeed.
How Friends of Matènwa Helps
Friends of Matènwa (FoM) is the U.S.-based 501(c)(3) that mobilizes resources so MCLC can remain community-led and financially sustainable. FoM raises funds from individuals, foundations, schools, churches, and partnerships to support:
These budgets per year include:
| Program Area | Annual Need |
|---|---|
| Matènwa Elementary School (breakfast, summer camp, facilities) | $260,000 |
| Matènwa Secondary School (technology, design lab, internships) | $135,000 |
| Institute of Learning (teacher training & outreach) | $200,000 |
| Post-Grad & Entrepreneurship (scholarships & start-up support) | $35,000 |
| Community Projects (health, gardens, water, crisis response) | $150,000 |
| Endowment (goal: $25M) | $300,000 |
Annual Fundraising Goal
$1,000,000 per year
Every gift is an investment in children’s dignity, language, and future—and in a model Haiti is already beginning to adopt nationwide.
How Your Support Creates Lasting Change
Every gift strengthens community-led education in Matènwa—from classroom learning to teacher training to gardens that nourish families. You may designate your support to where it’s most needed, to a specific program, or to the endowment, ensuring long-term sustainability.
These levels reflect five-year pledge commitments as part of our Circles Program, bringing long-term stability to MCLC and the wider movement it supports. If you’d like to make a pledge or have questions, please call Friends of Matènwa’s Deputy Director Brian Stevens at (305) 450-2561 or email him at brian@matenwa.org.
Partner Circle
$10,000 and above (over 5 years)
Invests in long-term institutional strength, major program expansion, and lasting change across multiple schools and communities.
Visionary Circle
$5,000–$9,999 (over 5 years)
Supports catalytic initiatives such as teacher training, school gardens, and scholarships—helping scale the Matènwa model across Lagonav.
Leadership Circle
$2,500–$4,999 (over 5 years)
Sustains core programs such as literacy initiatives, classroom resources, and staff development that directly impact daily learning.
Sustainers
$1–$2,499 (over 5 years)
Builds steady, reliable support that keeps classrooms supplied, meals served, and opportunities open for every student.