Message From The President.

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President Kathy Freudenberger

Education has the power to change not just individual lives, but the future of an entire nation. At TLC Barefoot School, we invite the general public, our local and global community, and our valued donors to stand with us as we invest in the children of Haiti. Through education rooted in care, faith, and opportunity, we are shaping confident learners and future leaders who will uplift their families and communities. Your involvement, whether through giving, partnering, or advocating, helps turn hope into lasting impact. Together, we can bring meaningful, sustainable change to Haiti one child, one classroom, and one future at a time.
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About TLC Barefoot School.

A Christ-Centered Education.

TLC is a Christian school, located in the Delmas 75, Ouest neighborhood of Port Au Prince, Haiti. The children salute the Haitian flag, sing the Haitian national anthem, and begin each school day with a devotion and prayer. In addition, the children have Bible classes separated by age level, and the students have a memory verse in all subjects. Christianity is included throughout the curriculum, and the children are presented with the plan of salvation. Most of the songs used in the school are Christian songs and hymns, and the children are disciplined based on Christian principles. The children say or sing grace before meals, and many of the students attend Haitian churches. Some have even been baptized. In addition, the school provides opportunities for the family to get involved, by inviting families to attend special occasions. Normally, a group from the US comes to do Vacation Bible School during Spring Break. Others come do work projects like building, tiling, and plumbing, help in the library, provide teacher, tutoring and Bible lessons.
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Partnering with Families & Influencing Culture.

There are some places that try to get Haitian children adopted into US families. While this may be a good approach for some children, for others, a different option could be best for them. The philosophy of TLC is to educate students so they can stay in Haiti and grow to become upstanding, contributing citizens of the country, also to the Christian community.

Many of our students come from large families and have many siblings. It is our policy to accept no more than two children from one family, with the idea to spread the limited resources and schooling over a broader base. When one or two of the children in a family receive education, they typically share their education and go on to teach other family members, including the parents.

TLC serves around 80 children per year. TLC follows general US standards and has 185 days of school each year. Children are taught in the English, Creole, French and Spanish languages. This allows students to learn from English-based texts, with much of the curriculum based on English language materials. In addition, our teachers and principal have received certification through the Accelerated Christian Education (A.C.E) staff training. They bring a variety of educational backgrounds to the classroom.

Parents come to school each grading period for parent-teacher conferences for progress reports. Parents are required to sign the report card. Often, the child has taught the parent to write their name. Many of the students are the first generation to receive any sort of education, and the children are able to share their learning experiences with their family members. It might help you to realize that most if not all of the TLC children do not have electricity, running water or much furniture in their homes. It is amazing to see the bright, shining faces of the children as they come to school each morning - clean, well dressed and very eager to learn.

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Founder.

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Madame Linda Mae Counts

Madame Linda Counts was a devoted missionary, educator, and servant of the Haitian community whose life was defined by faith and compassion. While serving in Port-au-Prince, she was deeply moved by the sight of children running barefoot through her neighborhood, full of promise yet lacking access to education and basic care. Rather than accept this reality, she felt called to create something better.

From that calling, TLC Barefoot School was born.

Madame Linda believed that education was the most powerful pathway to lasting change. She founded TLC Barefoot School to provide children with not only academic instruction, but also nourishment, structure, and hope. Her approach was rooted in love, discipline, and faith, ensuring that every child who entered her classroom felt valued and encouraged to dream beyond their circumstances.

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Mission and Values.

Mission

TLC Barefoot School is a Christ-centered educational institution (or “school”) founded on the commitment to empower students academically, spiritually, and socially. By providing biblically based instruction that nurtures each child’s God-given talents, TLC instills values of love, service and stewardship to develop compassionate leaders who positively impact their communities, their country and beyond.

Vision

TLC Barefoot School will be a beacon of hope and transformation in Haiti. We will create a thriving community where our students receive a quality education rooted in Christ-like values. Equipped with academic knowledge, critical thinking skills, spiritual development, and a deep sense of purpose, our graduates will go on to lead Haiti to a brighter future.