Today we’d like to introduce you to Noella Coursaris Musunka.
Hi Noella, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
• Noella Coursaris Musunka, International model, philanthropist, and founder of Malaika
• Born in DRC, father tragically passed away when I was 5
• Mother didn’t have the means to take care of me, so I was sent to live with relatives in Europe
• Tough childhood, very little means of communication with mother during these 13 years except a few letters
• Threw myself into education
• Returned to Congo when I was 18, and I was shocked at the conditions my mother and neighbors were living in
• No running water, electricity, infrastructure, technology, little access to education
• I realized these girls could’ve been me had my mother not sent me away
• I knew I had to do something
• I became a model by winning a competition to become the new face of Agent Provocateur; after doing that campaign, I landed other modeling work in cities such as London and New York and my career grew from there.
• In 2007, I launched Malaika, whose mission is to empower a community through education and health programs and specifically to provide quality education to girls. 50 million girls in sub-Saharan Africa do not have access to education (Source: UNESCO, here).
• 15 years since we launched and we have built a sustainable ecosystem that includes a school for 430 girls, a community center offering sports and vocational training to 5000 youth and adults including technical classes in partnership with Caterpillar Foundation, we have built and refurbished 28 wells supplying 35,000 people with clean water, and we have agriculture that provides food for the school canteen and also teaches sustainable farming.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
• My childhood was very challenging. I did not grow up in a loving environment, and I had to make my own way. It was hard, but it built in me resilience and self-belief. When it came to starting Malaika, I had to have a lot of grit and determination, and I think I gained this from my childhood.
• It was difficult to get the support we needed at the start, and there are many challenges that arise when you’re working in a context where there is no infrastructure. You have to be adaptable and committed to the cause and to solving problems as they arise. I’ve learned how important it is to build a strong team around you. You can’t rely on yourself alone.
• It’s never been easy or smooth. Many things out of your control happen too, such as the pandemic. But we’ve learned that if we stay focused on our mission and keep adapting to the world around us, we can keep going.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
• I am an advocate for women’s and girls’ education and am a regular speaker at events and forums. I am an Advisor at Concordia and an Ambassador for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. I also sit on the United Nations Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network and the L’Oréal Fund for Women Endowment Fund Advisory Committee.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
• Happiness comes from relationships and also from living out our purpose.
• I get the most joy from my children, JJ and Cara, and our dog Lolly and sharing in their fun and the things that light them up.
• I feel intense happiness when I see the impact Malaika has had on an individual’s life. The mother who can now support her family through her sewing skills, the young man who is planning on running his own business and giving back to his community through the technical skills he has learned at our community center. The young girl who aspires to be a doctor and a leader in her community and truly believes in her ability to achieve that dream. I love spending time in Congo with all these children that have hardly anything, yet they are so happy, and the whole community is so resilient.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.malaika.org
- Instagram: @malaikadrc/ @noellacoursaris
- Facebook: @malaikadrc / https://www.facebook.com/Noella-Coursaris-Musunka– 1599180837064466/
- Linkedin: MalaikaDRC / Noella Coursaris Musunka
- Twitter: @malaikadrc / @Noellacc
