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Help Build a Secondary School in Haiti
Help Build a Secondary School in Haiti
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Join our efforts to support the first EVER graduating class of secondary students in Matenwa, Haiti. Over the years we have built grades 10, 11, 12 & 13 to complete the first ever secondary school on the island. We need your help to continue supporting these trailblazing students!
Haiti has the lowest rate of school enrollment in the Western Hemisphere. The percentage of children who complete primary school is low (50%), and sadly, only 20% of Haitian girls receive a secondary education (grades 7-13). In a country where the average family makes only $2 a day, most families cannot afford to pay over $100 to send a child to school. Decades of natural disasters and political turmoil have depleted the country of an educated workforce. As a result, few teachers in Haiti receive formal training. Without a secondary education, a young Haitian is unable to find a good job or attend college. And so the cycle of poverty continues.
In response to the educational crisis in Haiti, GreaterGood.org's GROW (Girls Right to Opportunity Worldwide) program is providing support to build a quality high school in Haiti. The Lekol Kominote Matenwa (LKM) secondary school will be an extension of an existing, internationally acclaimed primary school located in Matenwa, Haiti. LKM has been designated as a model school by the Haitian Ministry of Education.
You can help. With your donation, a young Haitian boy or girl will get the opportunity to receive a quality secondary education. Every donation will go toward books, tuition, and a teacher's salary.
Update from the Field
May 2018
For the past 5 years, The GreaterGood community has supported the buildout of Matenwa's first ever secondary school. This June we are incredibly proud to announce, that we will have our first EVER graduating class of secondary students. Earlier this year, in January, we had the special opportunity to talk to each of the members of the first ever graduating class, to learn what their hopes were for their future. They discussed how proud they felt to be a part of this distinguished group of students, and their desire to go to university to pursue professional careers.
Matenwa is one of only a few schools in Haiti that teaches primarily in Creole, and as a result has been recognized as a model school across Haiti. In addition to their Creole emphasis, children learn in open classrooms with views of the sea and island, and engage in a breadth of learning in reading, writing, math, science, music, organic farming, crafts and beat making!
Your donations have helped these 15 bright students get the education they deserve. They are the first in their families to receive this kind of education, and they are so proud to share what they've learned with their community. With your help, there will be many more graduating classes at Matenwa's secondary school. Thank you for your continued support of these outstanding students!
October 2017
We'd like to introduce you to three of the 15 students graduating this coming May!
Valancia (13th grade), youngest of eight children says "To me, education is life. When you have an education, you are prepared to speak in an assembly, in front of any group. If I were not enrolled at MCLC I would be just sitting around, but this school develops students understanding of many areas of life that you would never find at other schools. Also I admire Christaino Ronaldo, who is a Portuguese professional soccer player. I admire him a lot and I would like to work harder at soccer so I can be like him."
Denison (12th grade) "I appreciate that this school is the best school. It is always talked about because of our strong performance in the State exams. What I like about school is that my teachers are always here and on time. I am grateful for my education because it will make me a good citizen in the future. I could become a big doctor or an engineer. I am getting a great education at LKM. The person I admire most is Mr. Edno, the Deputy Director of my high school."
Billy (13th grade) "I believe education is the source of life. I am in grade 13 and also help teach crafts at MCLC. I made this chair. I used to spend many hours working on furniture and bamboo crafts together with my good friend, but he quit school and is now in Port-au-Prince, hoping to emigrate to Chile. I miss him a lot but my goal is to finish school. Since I was little, I have always been motivated to pursue my dreams.
I recognize that education is important in my life. It enables me to engage with everyone. It shows me how to do many positive things, and it gives me skills that are appreciated by others. I am grateful because education has already started to make part of my dream come true, and it pushes me to keep working toward my dream. I want to contribute to the development of my community, of Lagonave, and of Haiti. I would like to go to university, study Computer Science, and come back to the island with ideas for developing arts and crafts.
It is also a privilege for children to be educated in their mother tongue and to be able to learn well. I appreciate the entire staff because they are all doing good work at this school.
The people who inspire me are Coeur-Rimà ©, who is a Haitian slam poet/musician, and BIC, a Haitian musician who works in the Haitian language with Michel DeGraff."
Update from the Field
March 2017
We are incredibly happy to report that in 2017 we will build out the final grade to complete the first ever secondary school on the island of La Gonave, Haiti. This will support quality education for more than 160 secondary school children. Children in an area that has the lowest school enrollment in the Western Hemisphere, where the percentage of children who complete primary school is only 50% and only 20% of girls receive secondary education (grades 7-13).
Update from the Field
August 2016
LKM Secondary School continues to make progress on their goal of building out their secondary school through grade 13 on the island of La Gonave. Recent student graduates often write to LKM expressing their gratitude for receiving a quality education. LKM's impact goes beyond just students—their presence has a huge impact on the Matenwa community at large. Zaza, a mother of three, sheds light on the way this school has changed Matenwa:
"My name is Anetude Gefrard, and my nickname is Zaza. I am a 33 year-old Matenwa native. I have been working at LKM Secondary School for three years. I have three kids at the school: an eleventh grader named Billy, a 6th grader Rosalineda, and an 8th grader, Billock. I am very thankful to LKM for all its help. Because of LKM, all of my kids have an education. LKM supports all mothers in the community because otherwise we wouldn't have been able to afford any other school for our kids. LKM gives food and school supplies to every student for free. LKM also employs me in the school's kitchen so that I can have enough means to take care of my kids at home. LKM is a savior to everyone in the Matenwa community. Many thanks to everyone who is working to keep LKM going strong in Matenwa."
-Anetude Gefrard
GreaterGood.org is devoted to addressing the health and well-being of people (particularly women and children), animals, and the planet.
GROW (Girls' Right to Opportunity Worldwide) in partnership with GreaterGood.org, The Klintworth Family Foundation and The Literacy Site™ is dedicated to improving girls' wellbeing by supporting and monitoring innovative projects that identify and remove barriers to girls' education across the globe.
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Important Info
Important Info
100% of your Gift That Gives More™ donation will go as a charitable gift to Greater Good Charities. GreaterGood stores pay the credit card transaction fee, so every cent of your donation goes to charity.
Greater Good Charities has ultimate authority and discretion with regard to the distribution of its funds. All expenditures made are consistent with the exempt purposes of Greater Good Charities.
Greater Good Charities has ultimate authority and discretion with regard to the distribution of its funds. All expenditures made are consistent with the exempt purposes of Greater Good Charities.
