DUNES Magazine

At the core of Malaika’s educational philosophy is individualized and holistic attention to students and staff. We were delighted when Rebecca, our incredible English teacher and special projects advisor, was recently interviewed on Malaika TV, a local station. 

“At school, we need to know the background of our girls so that we can teach them well being,” Rebecca says. The program was about children coming from broken families, and Rebecca explained the importance of education and support in such students’ lives. 

“That is why we educate the community, because they are our partners. We work together with parents, we exchange information on different activities,” she says. “We need to pay attention to our children’s emotions, listen to them, give them space for free conversation and show them affection. 

Rebecca, who is an excellent and eloquent speaker, believes that education is crucial in uplifting not only those who come from difficult situations but also the community as a whole. 

“They need vocational training, entrepreneurship courses and they must learn values because these youth are the future of DRC. When they finish, they need support and follow up so that they can create cooperatives or their own activities and be independent, so they will not go back on the street again.” We were so proud of Rebecca and know her message had a far-reaching impact. 

“Champions are made from something they have deep inside them—a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have last-minute stamina, they have to be a little faster, they have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill.”

We’re so proud of our founder Noella, who was honored as a Daughter of Greatness by the Muhammad Ali Center. Daughters of Greatness are women engaged in social change, activism and pursuits of justice.

Noella has a great respect for Muhammad Ali, from whom she draws much inspiration. We’re so grateful to the Ali Center for acknowledging Noella and placing her in a class of powerhouse, change making women.

If you’re reading this now, it means you’ve found our new website! We’re so excited for this launch.

Our team worked tirelessly over the past 6 months on this clean, interactive site, and we love what they’ve created. Thanks to the amazing team at Elevation Web and to our incredible program manager, Megan Faunce for the hard work. Take some time to explore everything that’s new and all of our beautiful visuals.

We’re so impressed with Malaika’s STEM team harnessing technology into an immediate and concrete tool during this pandemic. Members of Covid19DRC, a new initiative between our local STEM staff and Dr. Jonathan Mboyo Esole, our special advisor, are using Malaika’s 3D printer to produce an initial 450 face shields.

These will be distributed to local hospitals at no cost, in order to protect doctors, nurses and first responders. Our goal is to reach 1000 masks, so medical workers on the front line have the protection they need. Amazing work and incredible use of technology, team!

Malaika’s staff consists of individuals who are passionate about education and about teaching and supporting the next group of leaders emerging from our student body. Therese Mabaka Angelani, kindergarten teacher, has been working for 10 years at Malaika, ever since the school opened its doors.⠀

“It is really great to see a school that emerges day to day, year by year, in which children who come in without a notion of education go out with an impressive intellectual, moral and physical training. My dream is to see some of the girls continuing the work that Malaika does by giving back to their communities and leading the school so that other children will be able to benefit from this education.”

In parts of Democratic Republic of Congo, attending school is not a given. Cost, distance, and family obligations can prohibit students from gaining an education. Malaika’s Kalebuka Football For Hope Center, built in collaboration with FIFA and streetfootballworld, gives area youth and adults an opportunity they otherwise might not have to not only learn to read and write and take vocational courses and learn about healthy and equality through football and other sports programming- all for free.

The young men and women featured in this video now have hope for their own futures and their communities’ collective growth.

Almost five years into the fifteen-year commitment towards the Global Goal, the UN estimates that over 265 million children are still out of school. In 2020, COVID-19 has all but stopped daily life around the globe, which means schools and learning centers, such as Malaika, were forced to close. The impact on education during this pandemic cannot yet be measured, but it will surely be widespread. On Thursday, May 7 at 2 p.m. GMT, Noella will take part in a webinar with World Humanitarian Forum as part of their digital ‘Education in Times of Crisis’ Series.

Join in this forum to learn about how education worldwide will be impacted as Noella joins Rt. Hon. Douglas Alexander, chair, UNICEF UK and Yasmine Sherif, director, Education Cannot Wait and Session Moderator Dr. Jon-Hans Coetzer from UNITARHQ. Register now at https://forms.gle/qEZXiowCE6LpxEf3A