Words by Noëlla Coursaris Musunka Photography by Helene Sandberg

“Write your own history, don’t allow others to do so for you, because no one understands your path better than you.” Noëlla Coursaris Musunka was five years old, living in her homeland of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), when her father passed away in his sleep next to her. Her mother – grief-stricken, penniless and uneducated – sent her to Europe to build a better life. Noëlla had a challenging childhood and was moved between relatives, first in Switzerland, then Belgium. Over the years, her only contact with her mother was through a few phone calls and a handful of letters.

But Noëlla did find refuge. As a student, she excelled and, after a year studying business management in Switzerland, she moved to London to learn English. There, she was scouted as a model and relished the idea that she could send money home to her mother. When she returned to the DRC at the age of 18, Noëlla was shocked to see the poverty there and vowed to work to make a difference.

In 2007, Noëlla founded Malaika, a non-profit organisation dedicated to improving the lives of Congolese girls and their communities through education and health programs. Her passion now is to ‘model with meaning’, using her profile to raise awareness for causes she feels strongly about as a mother, feminist and believer in the fundamental human rights of education, health and opportunity.

“When Congolese parents do have money, they educate the boys. But if you educate girls, there’s less pregnancy, less HIV infection, less poverty,” says Noëlla. “We need to elevate the education of women. It empowers them. It moves the country forward. It matters.”

Here, as part of AllBright’s special Mother’s Day series ahead of Mother's Day on March 14, she pens a letter to her two children James Jr. and Cara, extracted from the book GRACE MOTHERS, written by Georgie Abay, Julie Adams and Claire Brayford.

Noëlla Coursaris Musunka. Founder & CEO of Malaika

Dear JJ and Cara,

You are the joys of my life. When I left the Democratic Republic of Congo so many years ago as a young girl, I could never have dreamed that I would one day return with my own children. My entire world had been turned upside down. I was only five years old and my father, your grandfather, had recently passed away. My mother made the most difficult decision of her life – a choice no mother should ever be faced with – to send me away to Belgium in the hope of providing me with a better life. 

Life in Europe wasn’t always easy and I missed my parents every day. But being away from home taught me the importance of bravery and perseverance and, above all, hard work – something I try to pass on to you both every day. The most precious gift I received in my new home was an education. It is this gift of knowledge, which would have eluded me in the Congo, that opened up a whole new world of possibility and promise. You are both growing up in very different circumstances from how I did, but I hope I have instilled these same values in you, and that they will serve you well as you embark on your own lives. 

Remember to continue to always give back to those who have not had the same opportunities as you. For me, this meant giving back to the people of my first home, the country of Congo, and Africa overall. Opening a school for young girls in a village very close to where I was born, as well as building wells to serve the whole community, has been one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life. It has been such a joy to get to share this with you both – watching you become incredible young philanthropists who have such a passion for caring for others. 

I treasure the time I have spent with you in the Congo and at the school, teaching you about your ancestry and sharing my home country with you. It makes me so proud to see how proud you are of your heritage. And because of the school we built, hundreds of young women, many of them the same age as you both are now, are able to receive the priceless gift of an education, along with two healthy meals a day. Of course, it took a lot of special people to help me achieve this dream, and my advice to you is to surround yourself with people in your life who believe in your dreams, support you wholeheartedly and can help you fulfil your purpose.

 Cara, my little girl, I love that you are so headstrong and determined. You are a natural-born leader destined to do incredible things, and I promise to always encourage this and support you in all that you do. 

 My darling JJ, you have such a kind heart and keen sense of fairness and diplomacy. I watch the way you not only take care of your little sister, but also your friends in the Congo. You are determined to help in any way you can – if they have no bed to sleep in or food to eat... or a football to play with!

 Wherever you go and whatever you do, continue to carry the same joy for life that you have today. The energy and passion you both put into all you do inspire me every day. I am so excited to watch you grow up and see where life’s winding path takes you. This is just the beginning.

 I love you, Mummy x