In 2017, Noëlla was named Ambassador for The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis & Malaria, the world’s largest financier of programs combating these diseases through partnerships between governments, civil society, and the private sector. 

This is a deeply personal relationship for Noëlla. She accepted this honor in memory of six-year old Miriam, a Grade 1 student who passed away in December 2015, due to complications from malaria, when the school was closed during the Christmas vacation. 

Malaika had to close on 19th of March 2020 due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The school was able to reopen in the summer but unfortunately had to close again in response to government guidelines. Sadly, during the periods of closure we lost three students, Leya, Esther Annie, and Noella. They all passed away as a result of contracting malaria. The pain of these losses has fuelled Noella’s passion to serve in this role for The Global Fund.

In 2007, Noëlla founded Malaika, a grassroots nonprofit that educates and empowers girls and their communities. The foundation operates in Kalebuka, a village 45 minutes away from Noëlla's hometown of Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 

Malaika has five components: an accredited school; a community center; technical programs in collaboration with Caterpillar Foundation, training young adults on real equipment as mechanics, electricians, carpenters and dwellers; a clean water program with the building and refurbishment of 31 wells; and an agriculture program. Malaika is an ecosystem and a community-driven model that can be duplicated anywhere in the world.

Noëlla volunteers her time and skills to the charity, alongside a global team of professionals who also provide their expertise on a pro-bono basis. Malaika’s success to date has been the result of the dedication and hard work of a team of Congolese staff members working on the ground and around-the-clock support from a team of volunteers across the world.

85% of every dollar donated to Malaika goes directly to the organization with the remaining 15% covering essential administrative costs necessary to running the programs.

First opening its doors in 2011, the Malaika School provides a free, accredited, and comprehensive education to 430 girls in the village of Kalebuka in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The holistic curriculum is structured around daily classes in French and English, with subjects spanning STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) to arts, music, theater, and physical education. 

Malaika strives to cultivate the leadership potential of its girls from as early as kindergarten, encouraging involvement in the Girl Scouts as well as field trips and community service projects, such as planting trees or learning about malaria prevention. The Malaika School Library, which was inaugurated by Goodwill Ambassador Eve, is one of its kind in Kalebuka. The library contains both print and e-books on donated Android tablets, giving the girls access to the surrounding literary world. 

In addition to providing a high-quality education, the Malaika School provides two nutritious meals each day, using fruit and vegetables grown organically on the school’s premises. The Malaika School is also 100% powered by solar energy.

Malaika equips its girls with the belief to envision a brighter tomorrow and the resources needed to get there. Upon graduating from the school, Malaika seeks to place its students in internships with local companies, in technical schools, in universities and in relevant careers. Crucially, Malaika’s community-driven approach acts as a model that can be replicated in communities around the world.

In 2021, Malaika’s team was deeply honored and proud to win the World Literacy Foundation’s award for significant contribution to literacy by an organization at the World Literacy Awards. In 2023, Malaika received the Peace and Sport Award, moreover it was shortlisted for the QS Reimagine Education Award Access Diversity & Inclusion.

Summer 2023 marked our first graduation, where Eve became our first president of the class, sending our first cohort to international and local universities, this year (2024) Dr Maki Mandela president of our second cohort, will be sending another set of girls leaving Malaika to higher education.

Malaika’s technical program, launched in collaboration with the Caterpillar Foundation in early 2022, trains young women and men aged 18-35 in mechanics and machine operation, as well as in driving and vehicle mechanics/repair.

Two cohorts of 153 students with 16% of women have successfully completed their training, earning certifications that are nationally recognized and enabling them to pursue high-demand, local jobs. In summer 2024, another building dedicated to carpentry and dwelling will be opening, further expanding our program's offerings.

Upon completion of the respective programs, which last 9 and 12 months, students will be equipped with the skills and certifications needed to excel in the local job market.

In rural Africa, women and youth can spend more than one hour on each trip to fetch water, an exhausting and often dangerous chore that robs them of the chance to work and learn. Dirty water, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene habits play a major role in child mortality.

In order to combat these challenges, Malaika built 31 wells and refurbished four. Having access to clean water in the village has helped decrease the number of cases of cholera, diarrhea and other illnesses. Our 31 wells have a direct and beneficial impact on over 35,000 people a year.

Our wells also provided an opportunity during the COVID-19 pandemic to teach hygiene and infection prevention, supporting the community to stay safe during the pandemic and any future outbreaks. 

In 2017 we opened a farm at our community center as part of the Sustainable Pathways project. It forms part of the programme to teach out-of-work youth about conservation farming, entrepreneurship and enterprise development. It also serves as a teaching platform to the community at large about sustainable agriculture methods.

Furthermore, our students plant trees and learn how to care for the environment. The farm helps provide two nutritious meals each day to students and staff.