People often ask me if what we’re doing on this small mountain on Lagonav 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 for Learning, we have been training teachers from across Lagonav and the mainland. Our methodology isn't just a "local experiment"—the Haitian government has officially recognized MCLC as a model school because they’ve seen the dignity and results that come from teaching children in their own language.
Last month, we saw the reach of the Institute in action once again. A delegation of five educators made the grueling journey from Fort-Liberté on the northeast coast. In a time when travel in Haiti is both difficult and dangerous, they chose to come here for a full week of immersive training. They didn't come just to look; they came because they believe this method is the fastest way for children to gain true literacy.
Institute for Learning director Vana Edmond (right) talks with a visiting educator in one of MCLC's kindergarten classrooms.
The "Books by Kids for Kids" Model
The educators from Fort-Liberté didn't just sit for lectures and presentations. They entered our classrooms to witness the heart of our Mother Tongue Books program: students and teachers creating their own books together.
This isn't just about translation; it's a participatory process:
Writing from Life: Students write stories in Kreyòl about their daily lives and environment.
Validation of Voice: Teachers help with grammar and spelling, but the child’s original voice and story remain the focus.
Student as Author: Children illustrate their work, and these books become the primary reading material for the class.
I sat down with one of the visiting teachers to talk about MCLC's Mother Tongue Books Program.
By seeing this in person, the visiting educators learned how to facilitate a classroom where the "Mother Tongue" isn't just a tool—it’s the foundation of a child's power.
A Mission to Multiply
These five leaders are now heading back to the North with a clear mission: to train other teachers across multiple schools in the Fort-Liberté area. This is exactly why the Institute for Learning exists. We are a national training hub where the "Matènwa Method" is shared, refined, and then exported to transform schools across the country.
Your support is what allows the Institute to stay open and accessible. You aren't just funding a classroom on a mountain; you are fueling a movement that is spreading from one end of Haiti to the other, proving that when you start with the language of the heart, there is no limit to what a child can learn.
Peace,
Chris
