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

Water is Flowing!

May 1, 2019

Water IS flowing! The trench from the deep well to the school is dug; eight solar panels, a 3000-gallon fiberglass chateau on a raised platform, and two water fountain stations are all in place. Pumps and rubber piping have been installed, so that water now travels up the hill to our gardens. With access to water 24 hours a day, MCLC’s school gardens will be able to grow plants throughout the year, in turn yielding more produce and creating more seeds for replanting. We’re thrilled because this project means less food insecurity, particularly during drought season, which is notoriously rough on Lagonav. Matènwa will continue to be a leader in providing its community and surrounding communities with trainings and technical assistance to grow their own food. We thank the McMillan-Stewart Foundation for believing in and supporting a dream that Matènwa has been working hard to make come true! Special thank you to all our supporters who generously rallied together this past Giving Tuesday to help reach our funding goal!

More Stories

Ways to Survive

As our present pushes forward in difficult and uncertain ways, survival holds a multi-layered definition that is unique for each of us. Self-preservation is not […]...

Making a BEAT!

Behind the scenes. See how Beat Making Lab brought a team of talent, including and Michel Brun, to Matènwa to make music with some of […]...

Water

The average American uses 17 gallons of water per shower. We also use gallons of water to wash our faces, teeth, dishes, clothes, dogs, and […]...