I have to start with something that made me smile.
Our preschoolers were busy washing the LEGOs, and it turned into a full body water expoloration moment!
It was joyful, funny, and also very Matènwa: children learning that a classroom is a community, and that we all have a role in caring for the things we share.
That spirit has been everywhere since school began on September 7th.
Brian and I have been so happy to be in Matènwa as the new school year begins, and the campus comes alive again with children, teachers, laughter, and learning.
And I’m especially happy knowing that every student from first grade through secondary school will have a backpack and the tools they need to learn and have a successful year.
This community made that possible. Thank you for being part of it. Here are a few more reasons I’m feeling especially hopeful right now.
With hope and love,
Chris Low
Co-Founder and Executive Director | Friends of Matènwa
341 Students—and a Joyful First Day
A kindergarten student on the first day of school.
On September 7, MCLC opened the 2026–27 school year with 341 students enrolled—174 in primary school and 167 in secondary school. We suspect that number will increase as gang violence on the mainland continues to worsen.
Even against that difficult backdrop, the first day of school was full of joy. We captured some of it on video.
What Began in Matènwa Is Reaching Classrooms Across Haiti
36 teachers from three schools in Port-au-Prince at a week-long MCLC training.
Something else exciting was happening at MCLC as the school year began.
Thirty-six teachers from Peace Project came to Matènwa for training, beginning a new three-year partnership with MCLC’s Institute for Learning.
Peace Project plans to bring Matènwa’s teaching methodologies into three schools in Port-au-Prince.
That means approaches developed and practiced here—learning in Haitian Creole, nonviolent classrooms, active participation, planting school gardens, and respect for every child—will reach even more Haitian teachers and students.
We made a short video so you can see the training for yourself.
Learning to Code—in Haitian Creole
At Matènwa, students are learning Scratch and the foundations of computer programming in Haitian Creole—and longtime supporter Jim Verhulst has been working closely with our computer instructor, Bityòs Sauveur, to help make that possible.
Together, they are developing and testing Creole-language tools that help students learn programming in the language they know best.
It’s another expression of something Matènwa has believed from the beginning:
Children shouldn’t have to leave their mother tongue behind in order to discover what they’re capable of learning.
Backpacks for Every Student, First Grade Through Secondary School
Matènwa seventh graders with their new backpacks.
So many of you stepped forward to help make our back-to-school campaign a success.
Because of your generosity, every MCLC student from first grade through secondary school will have a new backpack for the year ahead.
Seeing students carrying those backpacks across campus is a wonderful reminder of what this community makes possible.
Thank you for helping our students start the year ready to learn.
Do You Give Through a Donor-Advised Fund?
If you’re planning to make a grant to Friends of Matènwa from your donor-advised fund, there may be an opportunity to make it go even further.
Through #HalfMyDAF, participating DAF donors can nominate their grants for matching funds of up to $5,000, with one nonprofit receiving a $25,000 match.
Friends of Matènwa has been fortunate to receive #HalfMyDAF matching grants in the past.
The final nomination deadline is Thursday, October 8 at 5 p.m. Pacific Time.
Thank you for being part of this.
A new school year. Backpacks for students. Teachers sharing what they’ve learned. Children discovering what they can create with technology.
We’re very glad you’re part of it.
