marie da silva and The jacaranda School for orphans

What we do

How we produce sustainable results

We have, in particular, a very close relationship with The Jacaranda School for Orphans, in Limbe, Malawi, and have already funded a number of projects for them, including the solar powered well.

Founded in 2002 by Malawian Marie Da Sliva, the school looks after over 400 children, 95% of whom have been orphaned by AIDS, providing them with free primary and secondary education, healthcare, clothing and food.

The school's mission is to provide for these children from nursery school through higher education and employment. This includes a nursery school, primary and secondary schools and a technical and vocational college to help guide students through their education. 

Locally led

We believe that change works best when it is led by local people.  We engage the local community to help us decide what will work best. 

Marie Da Silva founded The Jacaranda School in her childhood home in 2002 whilst working as a nanny in the USA after the school that had previously cared for the children closed down.

She sent one third of her salary every month to fund the school, and convinced a large group of her nanny friends to donate monthly too, just so the children had somewhere safe to learn. 

Marie now runs the school full time with her husband and the school’s Executive Director Luc Deschamps, dividing her time between Malawi and the USA, where she goes regularly to raise money for the school.

Marie was deservedly recognised in 2008 by being named a CNN Hero.

who do we support?

OUR MISSION

SMALL

We believe that real change can only be made on small, local levels where effects can be sustained. We think that a bottom-up approach can help communities grow and evolve.

We support projects that teach children that they can be self sufficient, that they don’t need pity, that they don’t need overseas help to grow, that they can play a leading role in driving Malawi forwards to a brighter future.

We look to support the development the talents the children have to empower them with the skills that the world wants to see, and that can contribute to the brighter future of their country. We also try to encourage overseas supporters to become directly involved for positive reasons, not because they feel sorry for the children. 

We work closely with our friends and colleagues in Malawi to pick sustainable, appropriate projects that are going to have direct and measurable effects on the local communities, and then find ways to make it happen.

Click below to watch a CNN film about Marie

Our mission is to give orphans in Malawi a chance at a better life. We help give them access to quality, free primary and secondary education and help stimulate social development for some of the most disadvantaged communities in the world.

We believe that children need quality education and skills training. Then they can improve their lives and help contribute to the development of their country.

We work with projects that share our goals. We look for projects that work with local communities to create lasting, positive results, affecting change that will improve the community for generations to come.

We look to support children from nursery right through to college. We want to support a system whereby children receive a quality, free education to set them up for a productive and successful professional life.

OUR Method

high quality
We believe in completing fewer projects to a high standard, rather than spread ourselves thinly and lower the quality of delivery. 

Jacaranda UK Foundation