November, 2009:

Dear MCLC Friends,

We are very excited, as always, to share some recent news from Matènwa.

The library expansion is underway. As we prepare to write books for our Library II project we are pleased that our computer classes are going well. The fourth and fifth graders are focusing on learning how to type, the sixth and seventh graders are learning to use Word, and the seventh and eighth and ninth graders are working on Excel.

Being a model school, the staff has decided to have internal refresher courses in all of the methods that we are asking other schools to come observe in order to implement into their school curricula. We spent 3 afternoons going over our bookmaking method. Next we will be going over the Reflection Circle method. We have reinstalled bucket drip irrigation systems, which we had not used for a few years. We want to make sure that we can all give quality seminars to our Haitian teacher visitors.

One of our dreams is finally materializing: to have at least one person from each family be an artist that uses local materials to make functional art. Thanks to a grant from the Episcopal Women to Women’s group and proceeds from our Starfish Fund (endowment), we have been running an adult class and a student class for weaving a variety of products. Hats, food covers, pencils holders, and wastebaskets are some of the items being made. This not only helps bring money into a family but reduces plastic waste and promotes the planting of latanye and bamboo.

Sincerely,

Directors Chris and Abner, and Secretary Millienne