Marie Da Silva: As you may know that I have lost fourteen members of my family to AIDS in Malawi. My father, brothers, their wives, nieces and nephews.
So when my mother told me that a school in my village which was in a Baptist church had lost its premises and that 50 children would be out of school including my 2 relatives, I asked my mother if we could open up our house that I was raised in, which she was renting out, to school the children. I offered to reimburse her the rent money. This was about nine years ago.
We brought the children in and I turned it into a free school. We used the house as a school. Each room was turned into a classroom. Bedrooms, living room, dining room pantry, our garage, and the kitchen we used as the office.
We painted the walls black in each room to use as blackboards.
For seven years I maintained the school, paid the teachers, bought school supplies, provided uniforms, and a meal of phala a day to each student. I brought in cloths, shoes, and gave help to the very underprivileged in their homes, where extra food was needed.
I did all this with the money I earned as a nanny in the USA. I have been a nanny for the past 18 years.
By the year 2007, we had 230 children attending school in my house.
Today there are 400 Orphans 98% orphaned by AIDS. I have since built a secondary school on the premises and each child has free education. I think we are the only free primary and secondary school in Malawi. We provide everything with paying for their examination fees to college. Yes from primary to secondary and then to college free. Each child that completes form 4 MSCE, we send to college, pay their fees, buy their text books, examination fees, and I even give them a monthly transport allowance so that they do not miss college. Today we have fourteen in college in Malawi and one in California USA. She was sponsored by a wonderful family and is doing well in school. She has three more years, before she returns back to Malawi. I would like to do this for more of our graduates at Jacaranda. By this time next year we will have twenty five children in college.
Since 11 passes MSCE this year.
After my CNN Nomination in 2008, I was able to raise money to build the secondary school, and this coming year we will be equipped with a physics and science lab, and a computer science lab, and a library on our premises.
I only work part time as a nanny and spend most of my time working on my foundation. Fundraising.
What do you hope to accomplish with the Foundation?
Marie Da Silva:I hope to accomplish what a foundation is meant to do. Raise money for my mission. And this is what I do in America.
Do you receive any assistance from the Malawian government? If no, what kind of involvement would you like to see from the government?
Marie Da Silva:No I do not receive assistance from the Malawi government. In the past I have asked for text books and some school supplies. Especially when I just began the school 9 years ago. But I think because I am kind of private, and have done this for a long time without anyone knowing what I was doing.
But on the other hand, I do understand that the Malawian government has a lot on its shoulders to take care of in our country. Especially on education. So I just say to myself, if I can raise the money from abroad, out of my country, I will do so, so that the money that our government has, it can be channeled into other schools in our country that are in need of funding.
The involvement that I would like our country to have with our school, is for them to recognize the work I am doing. I say this because if Malawi acknowledged this publicly, it would be an example and encourage other Malawians who are in a position to look around their communities and help out. Because all I am doing is community service in my country. I saw an emergency situation nine years ago in my village where 50 children were out of school. I stepped in, even as a nanny, and gave a little of what I had, and look at what has happened today! I am helping 400 children.
Malawians who are privileged should step out of their cocoons and help those in need. Even if it is one child in their community.
We can all make a difference.
What has been your most difficult challenge with the organization?
Marie Da Silva:It is that I have to keep working harder on a daily basis looking for funds. I do not have one specific organization that gives me funds on a regular basis. My funding depends on me going out there speaking in schools, public places and holding small fundraising functions. This is where all the money comes from. And as you know in these times of economic financial depression, many are not giving money. Unlike two years ago. Fundraising is much harder now as everyone is holding on to their money. But I am a person who has faith and is positive about my surroundings.
How has the Jacaranda Foundation changed your life?
Marie Da Silva:The fact that I know 400 orphaned children have access to education, and I believe that this is one way out of poverty for them, and it is their road to a better future. The fact that they are given food and medical care. Many children at the school are HIV and are on ARV's and we make sure that they are given extra care, a nurse at our school monitors their progress and well being.
Jacaranda Foundation has not changed me as a person, as I am the same person inside, the same person even before I started the school.
As a child, I was taught to love, give and to be nice to our neighbors and friends. I live by those lessons.
What inspired you to start the organization and what keeps you inspired to continue this work?
Marie Da Silva:When I heard that 50 children mostly orphans were with no school. And I had a house that they could use as their school and that I would be able to fund this with the money I earned as a nanny in the USA. Yes the money did go a long way in my country. And just because I felt that I was given a chance as a child, because I had parents. But these children had no parents. It was not their fault, especially that most of their parents had died of AIDS as my family did.I felt I could do something.
What keeps me inspired to continue my work is a great question. It is because of all the 400 children, I see them attend school without absence. They never miss school, and by the pass rate at our school. This year alone, we have an 95% pass rate.
Primary PSLC examinations 19 out of 20 children passed. JCE Examinations 31 out of 35 passed. And MSCE 11 passed out of 20. Good results coming from a small school like ours. And having students from my school in college, taking business studies, hotel and catering, carpentry and joinery, electronic engineering, rural and community development and human resources. And one student is in the USA. That is what keeps me inspired to continue my work. And most of all, caring for the sick students at our school.
Besides the Jacaranda Foundation, what are most proud of?
Marie Da Silva:Besides the Jacaranda Foundation, I am just proud to have been born and raised in Malawi. I love my country, and acquired the best education at Our Lady Of Wisdom Convent School in Limbe.
I am proud to have been raised in a family that taught me the gift of giving and to believe in myself.
What are the foundation’s most pressing needs today?
Marie Da Silva:The most pressing needs today at the school, is the need to take care of the children who are HIV positive. We need to make sure that they are healthy, in order for them to be able to attend and complete school and have a better future.
Another need is for us to build a boarding house as the children live in very difficult conditions at home most with grandparents who are not able to take care of them to their best ability. One of this years enrollment is a 10 year old boy John who lives alone. He was abandoned by his uncle. We now have the chiefs wife taking care of him.
These are our most pressing needs. Because we cannot provide education to children who are suffering in their homes.
I try to make sure that the children are in a safe, loving environment.
Who is your Hero/Heroine and why?
Marie Da Silva:Wow, that is some question as I have many heroes in the world that I admire and look up to.
But my one and very first is my mother, whom when I went to her and said "let's open up our house to the orphans" she agreed with all her heart and gave up her home to many children. She passed away 5 years ago and to our surprise, in her Will she left a piece of land on her compound, to the Orphans. That is the place where the secondary school stands today. My mother is my Hero.
How do you want to be remembered and what legacy would you want to leave for the Jacaranda Foundation?
Marie Da Silva:I just want to be remembered as Marie a friend.
The legacy would be that we can all do something for someone.
For the Jacaranda foundation, I want to let children in Africa, Malawi, around the World to know that education is important. And that I did all that I did because I believed in education. I believed in a better future for our underprivileged children.
I want Jacaranda to be an example of students who will complete their education, work and give back to their country. Students who will look around their communities and help those in need. I would love to see that passed on.
For more info on how you can get involved, please visit http://www.
So when my mother told me that a school in my village which was in a Baptist church had lost its premises and that 50 children would be out of school including my 2 relatives, I asked my mother if we could open up our house that I was raised in, which she was renting out, to school the children. I offered to reimburse her the rent money. This was about nine years ago.
We brought the children in and I turned it into a free school. We used the house as a school. Each room was turned into a classroom. Bedrooms, living room, dining room pantry, our garage, and the kitchen we used as the office.
We painted the walls black in each room to use as blackboards.
For seven years I maintained the school, paid the teachers, bought school supplies, provided uniforms, and a meal of phala a day to each student. I brought in cloths, shoes, and gave help to the very underprivileged in their homes, where extra food was needed.
I did all this with the money I earned as a nanny in the USA. I have been a nanny for the past 18 years.
By the year 2007, we had 230 children attending school in my house.
Today there are 400 Orphans 98% orphaned by AIDS. I have since built a secondary school on the premises and each child has free education. I think we are the only free primary and secondary school in Malawi. We provide everything with paying for their examination fees to college. Yes from primary to secondary and then to college free. Each child that completes form 4 MSCE, we send to college, pay their fees, buy their text books, examination fees, and I even give them a monthly transport allowance so that they do not miss college. Today we have fourteen in college in Malawi and one in California USA. She was sponsored by a wonderful family and is doing well in school. She has three more years, before she returns back to Malawi. I would like to do this for more of our graduates at Jacaranda. By this time next year we will have twenty five children in college.
Since 11 passes MSCE this year.
After my CNN Nomination in 2008, I was able to raise money to build the secondary school, and this coming year we will be equipped with a physics and science lab, and a computer science lab, and a library on our premises.
I only work part time as a nanny and spend most of my time working on my foundation. Fundraising.
What do you hope to accomplish with the Foundation?
Marie Da Silva:I hope to accomplish what a foundation is meant to do. Raise money for my mission. And this is what I do in America.
Do you receive any assistance from the Malawian government? If no, what kind of involvement would you like to see from the government?
Marie Da Silva:No I do not receive assistance from the Malawi government. In the past I have asked for text books and some school supplies. Especially when I just began the school 9 years ago. But I think because I am kind of private, and have done this for a long time without anyone knowing what I was doing.
But on the other hand, I do understand that the Malawian government has a lot on its shoulders to take care of in our country. Especially on education. So I just say to myself, if I can raise the money from abroad, out of my country, I will do so, so that the money that our government has, it can be channeled into other schools in our country that are in need of funding.
The involvement that I would like our country to have with our school, is for them to recognize the work I am doing. I say this because if Malawi acknowledged this publicly, it would be an example and encourage other Malawians who are in a position to look around their communities and help out. Because all I am doing is community service in my country. I saw an emergency situation nine years ago in my village where 50 children were out of school. I stepped in, even as a nanny, and gave a little of what I had, and look at what has happened today! I am helping 400 children.
Malawians who are privileged should step out of their cocoons and help those in need. Even if it is one child in their community.
We can all make a difference.
What has been your most difficult challenge with the organization?
Marie Da Silva:It is that I have to keep working harder on a daily basis looking for funds. I do not have one specific organization that gives me funds on a regular basis. My funding depends on me going out there speaking in schools, public places and holding small fundraising functions. This is where all the money comes from. And as you know in these times of economic financial depression, many are not giving money. Unlike two years ago. Fundraising is much harder now as everyone is holding on to their money. But I am a person who has faith and is positive about my surroundings.
How has the Jacaranda Foundation changed your life?
Marie Da Silva:The fact that I know 400 orphaned children have access to education, and I believe that this is one way out of poverty for them, and it is their road to a better future. The fact that they are given food and medical care. Many children at the school are HIV and are on ARV's and we make sure that they are given extra care, a nurse at our school monitors their progress and well being.
Jacaranda Foundation has not changed me as a person, as I am the same person inside, the same person even before I started the school.
As a child, I was taught to love, give and to be nice to our neighbors and friends. I live by those lessons.
What inspired you to start the organization and what keeps you inspired to continue this work?
Marie Da Silva:When I heard that 50 children mostly orphans were with no school. And I had a house that they could use as their school and that I would be able to fund this with the money I earned as a nanny in the USA. Yes the money did go a long way in my country. And just because I felt that I was given a chance as a child, because I had parents. But these children had no parents. It was not their fault, especially that most of their parents had died of AIDS as my family did.I felt I could do something.
What keeps me inspired to continue my work is a great question. It is because of all the 400 children, I see them attend school without absence. They never miss school, and by the pass rate at our school. This year alone, we have an 95% pass rate.
Primary PSLC examinations 19 out of 20 children passed. JCE Examinations 31 out of 35 passed. And MSCE 11 passed out of 20. Good results coming from a small school like ours. And having students from my school in college, taking business studies, hotel and catering, carpentry and joinery, electronic engineering, rural and community development and human resources. And one student is in the USA. That is what keeps me inspired to continue my work. And most of all, caring for the sick students at our school.
Besides the Jacaranda Foundation, what are most proud of?
Marie Da Silva:Besides the Jacaranda Foundation, I am just proud to have been born and raised in Malawi. I love my country, and acquired the best education at Our Lady Of Wisdom Convent School in Limbe.
I am proud to have been raised in a family that taught me the gift of giving and to believe in myself.
What are the foundation’s most pressing needs today?
Marie Da Silva:The most pressing needs today at the school, is the need to take care of the children who are HIV positive. We need to make sure that they are healthy, in order for them to be able to attend and complete school and have a better future.
Another need is for us to build a boarding house as the children live in very difficult conditions at home most with grandparents who are not able to take care of them to their best ability. One of this years enrollment is a 10 year old boy John who lives alone. He was abandoned by his uncle. We now have the chiefs wife taking care of him.
These are our most pressing needs. Because we cannot provide education to children who are suffering in their homes.
I try to make sure that the children are in a safe, loving environment.
Who is your Hero/Heroine and why?
Marie Da Silva:Wow, that is some question as I have many heroes in the world that I admire and look up to.
But my one and very first is my mother, whom when I went to her and said "let's open up our house to the orphans" she agreed with all her heart and gave up her home to many children. She passed away 5 years ago and to our surprise, in her Will she left a piece of land on her compound, to the Orphans. That is the place where the secondary school stands today. My mother is my Hero.
How do you want to be remembered and what legacy would you want to leave for the Jacaranda Foundation?
Marie Da Silva:I just want to be remembered as Marie a friend.
The legacy would be that we can all do something for someone.
For the Jacaranda foundation, I want to let children in Africa, Malawi, around the World to know that education is important. And that I did all that I did because I believed in education. I believed in a better future for our underprivileged children.
I want Jacaranda to be an example of students who will complete their education, work and give back to their country. Students who will look around their communities and help those in need. I would love to see that passed on.
For more info on how you can get involved, please visit http://www.
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