Matènwa Celebrates May Day
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 […]
What Belonging Looks Like in Matènwa
During my time in Matènwa, I saw exceptional teaching and creative classrooms. But what stayed with me most is the […]…
Matènwa Rhythm: Resourceful, Joyful, Unstoppable. 🥁
Creativity at it’s best! Gotta use what you got on hand! That’s the Matènwa Way. Thank you for supporting education […]…
VIDEO: The Strength Behind the Scholarship
This uplifting conversation, moderated by Chris Low, brings together Roselineda, a proud Matènwa Community Learning Center (MCLC) graduate now studying […]…
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More Stories
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 write ourselves. This month MCLC held an Espas Ouvè (Open Space) at the school to answer this que…
The Mother Tongue Revolution is Spreading
People often ask me if what we’re doing in Matènwa can actually scale. They wonder if a local school can really change the way an entire nation thinks about education. The truth is, we’ve been answering that question for years. Since we founded the Matènwa Institute…
From Dirt to Dinner: The Eurofins Terracing Project
We are thrilled to announce that the Eurofins Foundation has awarded the Matènwa Community Learning Center (MCLC) a significant grant to scale up our terracing work. This isn’t just about farming; it’s about food sovereignty.
How Matènwa celebrated International Women’s Day
Students gathered under the shade trees at MCLC to celebrate International Women’s Day and honor the women who keep the school running. Monday morning in Matènwa, the school courtyard filled with students gathering under the shade trees to celebrate International…
Working Toward Clean Water for Four Communities
In the mountains above the Matènwa community on Lagonav Island, a place called Little Spring is a lifeline. Every day, families depend on this spring for the water they need to drink, cook, wash, and care for their homes. But getting that water is not simple. People…
From Matènwa to the Frontlines of Care
By Williamson Jacques | Matènwa Community Learning Center At the Matènwa Community Learning Center, we often say that education is not only about the classroom. It is about dignity. It is about responsibility. And it is about preparing young people to serve their…
How the “Matènwa Way” Travels
This is my third week on Lagonav Island, and yesterday I got to see—up close—the Hub School initiative, a next step in spreading the Matènwa approach to teaching across this island. In 2020, after years of training teachers in nonviolent, child-centered, Haitian…
What comes next . . .
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was clear about what justice meant. It wasn’t a theory or a slogan. It was about dignity—the dignity of poor people, the dignity of children, the dignity of communities that had been told, again and again, that their lives mattered less….
A Surprise Welcome Home
A reminder of what life is really about. Welcome home, Chris! Yesterday, I witnessed something that touched me deeply — a moment that felt like a reminder of what life is really about. Chris returned to Matènwa after a long absence. I traveled with her and Vince…
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 your generosity makes. View the 2025 Annual Newsletter
November 2025 Newsletter
Francia’s first graders learning to plant seeds in the school garden. Do you remember the first time you planted a seed — maybe in your family’s garden or a school science project? The mix of excitement and patience as you waited for that first green sprout? At…
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 creative play — because joy is part of justice too. The photo above captures one of those joyful moments — a…