By Aljany Narcius

Copyright haitiantimes

PORT-AU-PRINCE — Kaw Academy (KAWA), the first Haitian professional school and online learning platform to operate entirely in Creole, celebrated its first anniversary Sept. 2, marking a breakthrough year in which it reached more than 150,000 students across Haiti and its diaspora.

In its first 12 months, the platform has helped students acquire skills in digital marketing, project management, project writing, web design, business management and more. Many of the school attendees have already secured freelance contracts, launched small businesses, or obtained international certifications—showing that online education, when taught in Creole, can have immediate, tangible impacts on Haitians.

“Discovering www.kawacademy.com gave me access to the largest Haitian platform offering free education in Creole,” posted student Jocelin Mécène on the school’s LinkedIn.

“Over 120,000 students are already enrolled in courses taught by top professors and professionals. Thanks to KAWA, I have gained many skills I never could have learned without this platform.”

The anniversary celebration at El Rancho Hotel gathered educators, economists and tech leaders, including Étzer Émile, founder of Haiti Efficace; Sterline Civil, director of Haiti’s National Education Fund (FNE); and Patrick Attié, co-founder of École Supérieure d’Infotronique d’Haïti (ESIH); Marc Marc Alain Boucicault, founder of Banj; and communications specialist Adassa Guerrier.

Panelists emphasized how combining technology, language and pedagogy can transform learning into economic opportunities in a country where access to professional training and job placement remains scarce.

“In just one year, our work has impacted hundreds of thousands of people,” said Mike Bellot, KAWA’s founder and CEO. “We’ve built a community that makes education in Creole accessible and turns learning into concrete opportunities.”

A vision rooted in experience, practical learning and immediate results

Bellot, a professor, entrepreneur and economist from Cap-Haïtien, conceived KAWA after being forced into exile following a 2021 kidnapping. While abroad, he continued teaching his Haitian students via Zoom—a turning point that convinced him an online platform in Creole could democratize access to education.

Kaw, meaning “crow” in Creole, was chosen as a symbol of intelligence and adaptability. KAWA, Bellot said, aims to help Haitians gain “practical tools for problem-solving and survival.”

Global partners like Google and Microsoft back the platform, which employs Haitian professionals such as Émile, Boucicault, Marteen Boute, former chief operating officer at Digicel Group and Evadie Marie Daniel, a project manager specialist, as instructors. This helps counter the long-standing stereotype that education in Creole is “inferior” to French or English-based systems, a barrier that has historically excluded many rural and working-class Haitians.

KAWA’s pedagogy is action-oriented, featuring short video modules, practical assignments, and mini-projects designed to build portfolios that directly lead to contracts and jobs. Content is adapted for Haiti’s challenges, including compressed videos for low-bandwidth connections, audio and transcript alternatives, and step-by-step pathways for first-time digital learners.

“Eighty thousand students are taking my course on KAWA. This would never be possible physically,” said Émile, whose “Haïti Efficace” consulting company is one of the partners.

By September 2025, the platform was offering five professional diplomas for a tuition fee of 6,000 gourdes or about $45. These courses are designed to match market demand and equip students with employable skills.

Social and civic impact

KAWA’s mission extends beyond training. In partnership with IMPACT-E, it offers free entrepreneurship courses to young people displaced by gang violence in Cité Soleil, Port-au-Prince’s largest slum. Participants work through modules and develop business plans, showing how digital learning can build resilience in crisis contexts.

“KAWA’s model integrates technology and evolution. It gives young people concrete tools to learn,” said medical doctor Jamessie Rachilde Joseph, also known as “Zuzu Girl,” who participates in the initiative.

Such programs directly challenge the educational disparities and stereotypes that have long disadvantaged Haitian youth—particularly those from marginalized neighborhoods—by proving that Creole-language education can be high-quality, professional and globally relevant.

For its second year, KAWA plans to launch a mobile app, create learning centers for low-connectivity regions, expand course offerings, and reach 500,000 learners within five years. Bellot also hopes to adapt the platform to serve other Creole-speaking communities across the Caribbean.

“Someone in Les Irois [commune in Haiti’s southwest peninsula] can now learn project management without traveling to Port-au-Prince,” Bellot said.

“The goal is clear: connect content to learners everywhere and turn education into real opportunities.”