April 2015 Update

Apr 3rd, 2015 by Kathleen Walker. Comments are off for this post [Edit]

April 2015

Dear friend of Matènwa,

Our latest update is here! Please read and share the great news coming from Matènwa with friends and family. More and more trainings are happening, and more people are coming to see what’s all the buzz around our model is about.

Disaster Training and Community Empowerment

To increase knowledge of disaster risk and preparedness, Nickson Jean Louis, a principal in our LKM school network, facilitated a training for secondary school students and teachers. He covered how individuals can protectlapril15 2april15themselves and assist others during a natural hazard or major accident. He said that people who are injured during a disaster sometimes die because untrained rescuers lack the proper lifting and carrying techniques to safely transport them.

Sometimes, these rescuers end up causing even more damage to victims. He demonstrated how to help those injured or trapped under debris or rubble and then had participants practice several techniques of how one or two persons can carry an injured person.

Now, the MCLC community has been empowered to take effective action during a disaster.

Beyond Borders, CARE, and

the Haitian Ministry of Education Visit Matènwa

Last month we had three very special groups of visitors.

Beyond Borders’ Board of Directors spent three days talking with MCLC’s Direction Committee, observing the learning during various school activities, and conducting site visits at schools that we are training with their funds. Following these visits, David Diggs, the executive director of Beyond Borders, reported that one of the teachers was talking about how they were uncomfortable with the corporal punishment they used to use but didn’t have an alternative model until they observed at MCLC. “We need to find a way to apologize to our kids,” the teacher said sincerely. It was an impressive transformative shift in the teachers’ attitudes towards physical discipline. m2

Sarah Muffy, a Fulbright-Clinton fellow, whois currently working with the Haitian Ministry of Education, is researching how reading is taught in Haiti. After her classroom observations and some teacher interviews, Sarah commented, “Your teaching methods are very active, they help your students read and write very fast.”m1 She encouraged us to always remember that every student learns differently; some need to use all their senses to learn. We welcome such reminders to tailor our teaching to meet each students’ needs.

Mr. Jonès Lagrandeur, the educational inspector for Lagonav invited CARE’s National Coordinator and two other Care staff to come see MCLC because they were looking for effective ways to train teachers in non-violent education. One of the CARE staff said, “I am really happy about the work that MCLC is doing on Lagonav. Without a doubt, this type of high-quality education will help students become independent learners.” CARE now wants to develop a partnership with MCLC.

Chris W. Low, Executive Director FOM

Ezner Angervil, Director MCLC