Registration is free. Donations are deeply appreciated.
Please join us online in a live celebration of Rob Burke, his decades-long commitment to the Jacaranda School for Orphans, and the incredible impact that he has had on students, graduates, and the global community.
For nearly three decades, Rob Burke has shared his love of mathematics with students in classrooms across the world—from the Arctic in Nunavut to Ecuador, Turkey, China, and Ontario. But some of his most meaningful lessons have happened far beyond the classroom walls.
In 2008, while on a Habitat for Humanity trip in Malawi, Rob first came across The Jacaranda School for Orphans. A year later, he met co-founder Marie Da Silva at Harvard, and soon after led his first group of students to Jacaranda. Since then, he has returned nearly every year—20 trips by 2026—bringing almost 400 students to learn, serve, and build lifelong connections.
Through fundraising and hands-on projects, Rob and his students have helped Jacaranda grow—supporting new classrooms, science labs, housing repairs, scholarships, music lessons, a nurse’s clinic, and even assembling prosthetic hands. Together, they’ve raised more than $150,000, but Rob is most proud of the bonds formed and the lives changed on both sides.
In 2016, Rob’s dedication to service was recognized with the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers, Canada’s highest honour for volunteerism—though he’ll tell you the real reward has been walking this journey alongside his students and the Jacaranda community.
make aN IMPACT!
With our emphasis on rigorous accountability and impact,
you can trust us to make the best possible use of your gift.
Here is an example of what your donations can fund:
$10 feeds an orphan child for a month: click here to make a donation
$30 provides education, nutrition and medical care to a child for a month: click here to make a donation
$200 provides 20 textbooks for our secondary school students: click here to make a donation
$350 is the monthly salary of a school teacher at Jacaranda School: click here to make a donation
$500 provides exercise books to our 400 children for a term: click here to make a donation
$1,000 sends a Jacaranda School graduate to technical college for a year: click here to make a donation
$2,000 sends a Jacaranda School graduate to University in Malawi for a year: click here to make a donation
$5,000 funds a library for thousands of children in a public school in Malawi: click here to make a donation
The Jacaranda Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and donations are tax-deductible in the U.S.
About US
The Jacaranda Foundation has changed the lives of thousands of children by providing comprehensive, free education and care to orphans and vulnerable children in Malawi through our Preschool, Primary, and Secondary School programs at the Jacaranda School for Orphans. Many of our students have lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS and are being raised by single parents or grandparents. With the knowledge that strong families and the community are the best support for orphans and vulnerable children, we have initiatives to strengthen our students’ families and the surrounding community.
SUBMIT A SHORT “THANK YOU” VIDEO TO ROB BURKE!
To Participate:
Record a short 10-15 second video message, with a few seconds lead in at the beginning and a few seconds lead out at the end. Say “Thank you” for the impact he has had on your life and wish him well in the language of your choice/preference. Please click the button below to submit your video.
Deadline: November 10, 2025
