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

MCLC's staff is at it again! Check out another tune Aba Kowona (Get Rid of Corona) by Vagens.

Calling out to communities across La Gonave, this catchy number focuses on containing the virus. Vagens' song calls out all the preventative methods, like washing hands and wearing a mask, but also stresses staying alive and self-preservation. "Who doesn't want to live," he asks, as he reminds the population that no one is exempt.

Who wants to die/ before their time / the number of people killed by Corona/ we can't keep count/ on the hospital beds / you cannot even count on the doctor

More Stories

Open Space Gathering

Why MCLC Students & Teachers Say Lagonav Isn't Poor

I’m sure you’ve heard the label: “Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.” But at Matènwa, we’re interested in a different narrative—one that we […]...

Update from Meg - November 13, 2015

Soon after I arrived in Matènwa in July, I had an interesting conversation with a teacher who was very surprised by how fast I could […]...

March 2016 Update

Dear friends of Matènwa, Students are always excited to work in the garden and go to the library. Here are the third graders (pictured left) […]...