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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More Stories
Recycle Reuse Rebuild!
The Matènwa Community School is using your donations to turn the hurricane disaster into an opportunity to show our neighbors how to use the ever mounting trash of plastic bottles to rebuild their walls. This technique is successfully being used in many countries as a…
Now I am vulnerable, I don’t know about my future.
Mèsiyis
Mèsiyis is a bit beside himself after the hurricane. Quietly distressed, he starts talking about himself in third person. As an elderly man, there is no work for him to acquire the money it would take to buy some cement to add to his mix of limestone and rocks. I know…
LKM Getting on Its Feet After the Hurricane
I am proud to share that LKM opened its doors today,, giving their students a sense of normalcy today. They also had a meeting with several of the other school directors from our 40 school network on Lagonav. Already our partners at Beyond Borders have started to fund…
Animals Lost in Hurricane Matthew
The neighbors around the Matènwa Community School do not have much. And now they have even less. The nation that liberated themselves from slavery, this great black nation, continues to suffer because of the history of greed and colonization. Did you know that Haiti…
Matènwa After Hurricane Matthew
As one walks around Matènwa they feel the wind has settled, the land is a bit drier, but the aftermath is starting to sink in. Cement block homes are standing tall on this somewhat overcast day, while those of rock and limestone remain stripped open. And their owners…
Kenia Shares Her Story After Hurricane Matthew
You may be connected to this woman, even if you never met her. If you wear a beautiful silk scarf from Matènwa, Kenya may be the artist who painted it. Kenya is one of many mothers now trying to clean up with a chin up after the storm. She and her family will eat meat…
Jouden at 77 Years Old Needs Help After the Storm
The winds are still whipping through people’s homes. Here is a video of Joudin and the damage done to his home. He says that the storm really hit him hard. He is 77. Several years ago he had to move into the only room in his home that was left undamaged in Hurricane…
Matènwa’s Emergency Committee Responds Quickly
On Wednesday, October 5th, LKM’s Komite Ijans (Emergency Committee) staff brought some comfort to families after a night of unrelenting winds and rain that killed many of their animals, all of their crops, and beat their walls of shelter till they cracked and fell….
Hurricane Matthew: Send Help in Time!
One of our teachers just sent a video clip he took from his window. The winds are raging. He says he will send the pictures of all the damage when the wind finally dies down. He says the roof is threatening to come off. They are planning to leave the house since it is…
Violent storm rips thru Matènwa – You can help!
The winds are ripping through Matènwa. Abner Sauveur, Director of the Matènwa Community Learning Center, has called to report that many homes in our mountain top community have fallen apart and their tin roofs are flying off. Abner says they have never experienced…
Award of Excellence to reward the best schools in the country
Award of Excellence – School labels – to reward the best schools in the country. The Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MENFP) has launched the Excellence Award in recognition of public and private schools that are dedicated to provide quality education….
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 […]