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 must climb down a steep, rocky ravine, fill containers holding up to seven gallons, and carry them back uphill. The trip can take 30 minutes each way — and during drought periods, families from higher elevations may walk as long as two hours one way. The burden falls most heavily on women and girls, who are primarily responsible for collecting water. About one-third of the households in this area are led by women, making reliable access to water especially important for family stability and safety. (Photo: Local women and girls walk back up the steep and rocky path after collecting water from the spring.) What we hope to do If our recent grant application is approved, Friends of Matènwa and the Matènwa Community Learning Center (MCLC) will install a solar-powered water pumping system to bring water from Little Spring up to road level. The project would: Serve approximately 800 people each day across four rural communities Pump water uphill using nine photovoltaic solar panels and a submersible solar pump Store water in a 1,600-gallon roadside tank Provide access through two water kiosks at road level This simple change would eliminate the dangerous daily climbs into the ravine and save hours of labor for families. […]
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 […]…
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 […]…
What comes next . . .
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was clear about what justice meant. It wasn’t a theory or a slogan. It was […]…
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2021 Newsletter
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Who’s Bree?
Bree Legrand is only 13 years old, but she’s been fundraising from a very early age. With the support of her mother, Bree contacted me via e-mail asking how she could help fundraise for Friends of Matènwa. While speaking to her on the phone, I discovered that she was…
2020 Newsletter
View 2020 Newsletter
PSA: Stay Home!
Matènwa musicians are putting their creativity to good use. Our fifth grader Djoudnie sounds so good as she urges everyone to Stay Home. MCLC students understand the power of their voices and advocate for preventative practices as Corona spreads across Haiti. If you…
Down with Corona!
MCLC’s staff is at it again! Check out another tune Aba Kowona (Get Rid of Corona) by Vagens. Calling out to communities across La Gonave, this catchy number focuses on containing the virus. Vagens’ song calls out all the preventative methods, like washing hands and…
Songs for Corona
MCLC’s Director of Communications, Makanacky Magloire, who goes by the stage name Strong G, released a new single. In the catchy Lave Men Nou, Strong G urges his listeners to wash their hands, stay home whenever possible, and wear masks outside of the home. The song…
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 only in mask-wearing and hand-washing, but also in finding our center and remaining hopeful amidst the…
Happy Mother’s Day
Today, we honor mothers around the world for selfless dedication to nurturing, raising, and supporting without condition. Your commitment to the work that we do has transformed mothering in Matènwa and many of its neighboring communities. In poverty-stricken, rural…
Can Matènwa Survive Corona?
Here’s what’s happening: The Haitian government declared victory over the Coronavirus and reopened factories. This will be a disaster. COVID-19 has yet to hit with full force in the Caribbean, and it is expected to intensify in the next few weeks. This is not the time…
Why Haitians make Soup Joumou on New Year’s Day
Zaza and her youngest son Kwa enjoying soup joumou in Matènwa. For Haitians in Haiti and abroad, January 1st is about more than ringing in the New Year. It’s a celebration of their country’s independence, and a squash-based soup called soup joumou is a symbol of that…
MCLC Summer Camp 2019 has ended!
The Matènwa Community Learning Center Summer Camp has just ended! It was one of our most successful programs ever! How so? We will let Jemima Douyon do the talking. Jemima is a Haitian-American and was a teaching fellow at the New York City Department of Education…
The Women Artists of Matènwa: An Explanation of a Few Common Haitian Vodou Symbols
Atis Fanm Matènwa, or Women Artist Matènwa, is a longstanding Women’s Haitian Arts collective in the Matènwa community in La Gonave. Women from the Matènwa community create and customize beadwork, embroidery, painted silk scarves and other Haitian art by hand. Some of…
A Surprise Welcome Home
January 15, 2026
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 […]
2025 Annual Newsletter
December 8, 2025
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 […]
November 2025 Newsletter
November 22, 2025
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 […]
October 2025 Newsletter
October 12, 2025
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. […]
Newsletter 2024
November 30, 2024
School Opens ENTHUSIASTICALLY!
December 7, 2023
I’m so happy to share this video. It was a joyful first day of school at the Matènwa Community Learning Center. They successfully opened their doors on-time despite the growing […]
Newsletter 2023
November 30, 2023
Trying to figure out a way YOU can help Matènwa?
February 1, 2023
Pam Smith, our dedicated volunteer, long-time friend, and talented mixed media artist had an exhibit on display at Lexington Pierce Gallery November and December of 2021. All proceeds from the […]
The Story of the Matènwa Community Learning Center
February 1, 2023
Global Center for the Development of the Whole Child. How do you build a school? For Chris Low, it started with a simple pencil. Chris Low used to teach at […]
It's All Smiles in the High School!
January 31, 2023
Back packs were ordered for all students and staff with the school’s LKMPD logo printed on the front. Given the situation in Haiti, getting all 380 back packs all the […]
Newsletter 2022
November 30, 2022
Pam's Art Exhibit for Matènwa!
December 15, 2021
Pam Smith, our dedicated volunteer, long-time friend, and talented mixed media artist has an exhibit on display at Lexington Pierce Gallery through December 31, 2021. All proceeds from the sale […]