Updates

Dec. 2012
Dear Friends Matènwa,

Every time we have a chance to share some of our different activities we have at school with our supporters, it is always with great joy.  As I walk around the school I see gardening, music, crafts, library, sports, and class work happening.

1 – In The Library
Preshoolers and kindergarteners come to the library every day for storytime. This month’s favorites are “Konpè Chat ak Konpè Chen” and “Ti kochon k ap chante”. Fifth and sixth grade each come once a week and have been reading “Restavek” and “Exploring the United States.”

2 – In The Arts Village
Women are learning to make bags with local reeds and discarded chip bags. Students already made 24 chairs. Lagonavians all had to travel across the sea to buy chairs on the mainland, but  now many schools are ordering chairs from us. This is a major success for MCLC.

3 – In Music
The preschool and kindergarten go to music everyday. They learn songs, dances and a little poetry. All MCLC students are becoming  excellent drummers. It is their favorite instrument!

4-In The Garden
Gardening remains as one of the strong points for our school because it allows us to teach concrete science. Students are experimenting with sweet potatoes and cassava as well as transferring vegetable seedlings once they have sprouted.

5 – In The Community
There are several groups who gather once a week at MCLC to practice different participatory dialogue methods applied by MCLC. In this photo ESK, Education Is A Conversation is being used where we discuss human rights, particularly the rights of Restavek children.

Sincerely,
Ezner Angervi Director MCLC
Translator:   Chris Low
Executive Director.  Friends of Matènwa

October 2012

Ezner Angervil and Chris Low

Thanks to the Wold Innovation Summit for Education (WISE), an initiative of the Qatar Foundation,  for sharing the Matènwa Community Learning Center as a “best practices” feature.

You can read about it on the WISE website.

August 2012

Dear Friends of Matènwa,
It is with great joy we share the last month of activities for school year 2011 -2012 done with your support. We had 3 major programs each day. Mornings started with remedial literacy and math classes for those who needed some review before graduating to the next grade. Next came camp activities, which were various games and workshops offered for and by youth and teachers as well as US teachers.

Many youth in the community who are not students at Matènwa Community Learning Center (MCLC) participated in the camp, either to share their knowledge or to enjoy learning something new. These activities were: 4 different kinds of embroidery bracelets, woodworking, dance,music, computer, games, reflection circles, soccer, library, and crafts.

After a meal kids went home and teachers from the US and Canada gave teacher trainings. The themes we addressed were: History of Haiti, educational games, writing, integrating art andscience, electricity, what is a good learning environment, how to use pictures, what are some of the interventions one can implement when a child cannot write legibly, cannot memorize, has difficulty concentrating on homework, doesn’t comprehend what the teacher is saying. This summer program was extremely successful and rich.

We thank Ingleed Auguste, Connie Biewald, Ellen Biewald, Neta Crawford, Rose Crawford, Duncan Freake, Yvon Lamour, Juliette Low, Jean St. Vil and family, for coming to share their talents with Matènwa.

The MCLC Direction Committee, staff, parents, and students say thank you, thank you, thank you!

Together we are making a difference,

Chris Low