The Program

The Starfish Arts & Vocational Center (SAVC) was born in association with the Matenwa Community Learning Center (MCLC), a progressive community school directed by Abner Sauveur and American teacher Chris Low. The school, in operation for over 10 years, has received much support from the Rotarians and is currently using a literacy program promoted by Rotary International. The Arts Center has been in operation for 6 years, and was created by Lisa Brown and Ellen LeBow through money obtained by a grant from the Ella Lyman Cabbot Trust in Boston, MA. The Arts Center promotes education and vocational training through environmental and artisan projects that in turn help support socioeconomic stability in the village. In the last few years, Valerie Bell has been an important addition on the team. The mission of the MCLC is to promote learning (pre-k through 9th grades) in a safe and equitable environment using no corporal punishment, and teaches all subjects (except languages) in Haitian Creole. SAVC has an ongoing fish-farming project, a reforestation program, and an artisan’s collective and a community music program. The MCLC has recently initiated a school lunch program that is partially funded through the SAVC. MCLC has gained national recognition for their use of new teaching modalities and experiential learning techniques, introduced by visiting teachers from the US, of which we at Nauset are a large part. Our Nauset students help at the MCLC in the mornings, and at the SAVC in the afternoons. Without exception, all of our participating students have championed the cause of this humanitarian and educational effort, participated in fundraising events here at home, and take great pride and ownership in the programs they have helped to initiate in Matenwa.
Haitian teachers from MCLC come to Nauset each fall and observe new teaching modalities, speak to classes and give school wide lectures and presentations. This has been a wonderful opportunity for real multicultural exchange with a small mountain village school.

The Educational Value

The experience of our students going to a Developing country and helping in a humanitarian and educational context is tremendous. Our students walk away from this exchange more thoughtful and worldly, often solidifying their plans to do more humanitarian work here and abroad in the future. The students gain knowledge and insight into a culture that is not far removed from its African roots. Culturally and historically, students make connections to Nauset curriculum on all levels, from understanding slavery on a more intrinsic level to current events and world politics. Interpersonally, students are challenged to speak in a different language and live with different customs. Intrapersonally, students look at their own values, limitations and strengths in the context of their Haitian experience.

Students are expected to focus on a project while in Matenwa, and once home, they present their findings and experiences to a school wide assembly, usually with written work, power point presentations, slides and video. A popular co-curricular club in Haitian Studies every other Tuesday after school gives testament to the interest the student body has in humanitarian issues.

Nauset Partnership

This year, Nauset has increased its commitment to partnering with the MCLC, by actively pursuing a fundraising initiative to help provide money needed for the school’s lunch program. Currently, MCLC provides a meal, free of charge, to all two hundred primary school students three days a week. For about one third of these children, this is the only food that they will get to eat. Nauset’s aim is to raise enough money to support the lunch program the other two days, and to sustainably commit to this initiative in the future. The Haiti Club has created “Matenwa Monday, Change for Good” where each Monday, students are encouraged to bring in one extra dollar to contribute to this fundraising effort. With a little education and generosity, it is hoped that this initiative will be successful and Nauset students may take pride in the ownership of a school wide humanitarian effort.

Travel in Haiti

Upon arrival in Port-Au-Prince, our driver of 7 years, Maxime Emile, picks us up at the airport and drives us to a smaller airport where we catch a mission flight to LaGonave. Once in LaGonave we are picked up by our driver of 8 years, Watson Fleury, who drives us to the village of Matenwa. In Matenwa, the students stay with their host family, Holland and Venez Rivye just down the hill from the Zetwal Lame Sant Artisana, (Starfish Arts and Vocational Center) where the adults are housed. Once in Matenwa, all participants walk wherever they need to go. We use the same route and drivers for our return trip to Port-Au-Prince. There, we stay at the Visa Lodge, a secure hotel near the airport with Internet access so we may be in touch with you through email once in PAP.