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

Matènwa Celebrates May Day

May 4, 2026

In Matènwa, if the topsoil washes away, the school garden disappears. If the garden disappears, the Breakfast Club disappears. For us, caring for the Earth is vital.

Abner and the MCLC team know that true independence starts in the soil.

This May Day, Matènwa students celebrated the dignity of work and the critical role that agriculture and the environment play in our lives. They are our literal foundation.

And because of your support, we gave students something real to take home on May 1. Students chose a sapling—avocado, mango, or lime—to plant in their yard. We also got more papaya into the ground in the school garden.

When a student carries a tree home, they aren’t passive victims of a changing climate—they are active stewards of their own survival.

Whether it’s our technicians training other schools or our families installing rainwater systems, every project is a statement of dignity. It says: we are here, we are resourceful, and we are building a future with our own hands.

You are the ground we stand on. You provide the seeds, the training, and the tools that turn our challenging terrain into an opportunity for advancement. Thank you for making sure Matènwa stays green and hopeful.

Here is a one minute video capturing the May Day activities. Check out the joy on their faces as they planted in the school garden and headed home with their new fruit trees.

Peace,

Chris

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