How a tiny school in Malawi grew into the most beautiful tree

A school founded with scarce resources to respond to a dire crisis shows how much can grow from the smallest seeds.

In 2002, Marie da Silva heard that the local school in her home village in Malawi was being closed down. Devastated by the news, she and her mother decided to open their family home as a school.

Marie began to send a third of the salary she was earning as a nanny in the United States back to Malawi in order to fund the school. She wanted to support the most vulnerable children, children who had lost one or both parents to HIV/Aids. Over time the school grew and in 2008 Marie was nominated as a “CNN Hero” for her story. Then her life changed. Word of her story spread and she managed to receive funding to allow her to return to Malawi. She now works with her husband Luc Deschamps, running the school and community projects, including a physiotherapy clinic, vocational school and pre-school. Today, more than 500 children are enrolled in the Jacaranda School for Orphans.

I came to Jacaranda to volunteer as a teacher in January. Already I have been amazed by the atmosphere of love. Despite many of the children coming from the most desperate situations, they are now full of joy. As I walk through the school playground, I’m greeted by smiles, laughter, high fives and hugs. Children sit reading books in the shade or dance with their friends. They are strong and healthy thanks to Mary’s Meals, the charity now feeding more than 1.1 million children in Malawi. It is miraculous.

I have not only been impressed by the children here but also the alumni of Jacaranda. Among them is John, now 28 years old and working as an assistant for Luc and Marie. In 2013, he arrived at Jacaranda at 16. I asked John a few questions.

What was life like before you came to Jacaranda?

Before Jacaranda, life was very hard. My mother died when she was 18 when I was just six months old. My father took care of me until I was five years old. He then sent me to my grandmother’s because was unable to support me. I moved from place to place, but the people I stayed with could not support me. Food was often hard to come by. At 14, I started to look for work when I met a man who offered me some work. He said I could work for him for two years, and if I was good, he would show me a school called Jacaranda which could help me. I did as he said, and in 2013 I came to Jacaranda.

And what happened when you started school here?

Immediately, I did well in school. My brother came with me and he was always top of the class and I was second. I was determined to work hard. I was also given a place to live next door to the school which Jacaranda arranged for me. At the end of school, I completed the government exams to qualify for university. I managed to get the grades to qualify for a law degree, which was amazing because ever since I was young I wanted to be a lawyer. Through Jacaranda, I was sponsored by a lady in England to go to university. I have now graduated and I am working alongside preparing for the Bar exam. One day I hope to be a judge or even a Chief of Justice.

Where do you think you would be without Jacaranda?

Honestly, I’d be on the streets. It is my second home. I am so grateful to Jacaranda for all they have done for me. 

For John, the dreams he had as a child of becoming a lawyer, are looking more and more possible by the day. Since we spoke, he has begun his studies for the Bar exam. John is one of the many former students who now enjoys a sustainable present and looks forward to a hopeful future. From the humble beginnings of a family home, Jacaranda today has become a second home for thousands of the most vulnerable children in Malawi.

The school was named after the Jacaranda tree which when in bloom produces the most beautiful purple flowers. As I walk through the grounds, past the Jacaranda tree which is planted at its centre, I can’t help but be reminded of the parable of the mustard seed in which from the smallest of seeds grows the most beautiful tree. It is a sign of hope that little acts of love can bear fruit in ways we cannot even imagine; that ultimately, love and sacrifice are the soil in which great things are planted.

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