(PHOTO: The first Team Dayā school build in Dhayapur, Nepal, October 2019. Left to right: Jaryd Knutsen, Winnie Yang, Jay Sears, Hasan Arik, Jordan MItchell and Suman Chagarlamudi.)
Team Dayā is pleased to announced its 2027 and early 2028 school building dates. For our supporters that want to bear witness to Building Change, and see for themselves the impact of primary school education in fighting poverty and illiteracy, consider joining us.
Curious? Have questions? Contact our Head of Recruiting Jaryd Knutsen. You can also contact any Team Dayā member and ask about her or his experience (scroll through our site). Each participant on a Team Dayā school build covers 100% of her own cost, and commits to raising money towards our school construction fund.
If you work in advertising or technology, there is almost certainly someone you know among our team members and supporters! Read the first person accounts of school building and listen to some of our Team Dayā members, just below. We also welcome others who are not able to travel but still want to joining a team and help us raise funds.
Team Dayā 2027 School Project Dates:
Guatemala 2027
Sunday, March 7, 2027 – unday, March 14, 2027
Arrival by 2pm on first day, departure after 10am on last day
Arrive & depart: Guatemala City, Guatemala (GUA-La Aurora Intl.)
Senegal 2027
Sunday, April 18, 2027 – Saturday, April 24, 2027
Arrival by 2pm on first day, departure after 10am on last day
(PHOTO: Team Dayā member Noah Sears works on the new school in Chiosya, a small village of 200 people in the Ntchisi district in the central region Malawi. July 2, 2026.)
Please consider supporting Team Dayā. We cannot build these schools without your support. Example investment opportunities:
$50,000 Fund an entire school
$1,250 Paint for a school
$625 In-country mason during the entire construction of the school
$312.50 All the nails, nuts, and bolts to build a roof for the school
Team Dayā held a successful groundbreaking for its newest school on Monday, June 29, 2026 in Chiosya Village, Malawi. This is our 13th school overall and the third school being funded in Malawi.
This project would not be possible without the funding efforts of board member Nicolle Pangis and team member Serge Matta. A fundraiser created by Matta at the POSSIBLE conference in late April raised over $40,000, putting our funding efforts for school #13 over goal. Any and all additional funds go directly into our building fund for future schools.
Chiosya Village
(PHOTO: Team Dayā with the Gule Wamkulu, “the great dance” – a sacred ritual masquerade practiced by the Chewa people. The dance celebrated the groundbreaking of the new school. Monday, June 29, 2026.)
Chiosya, a small village of 200 people in the Ntchisi district in the central region Malawi (see location) north of the capital Lilongwe, will now have its very first school. The current nearest school is 5 kilometers away, and the nearest main road is 20 kilometers away from the village. Most people are farmers growing maize (corn), peanuts, tobacco and soya.
The classrooms in the new school will cater to Grade 1 and Grade 2, eliminating the long walk to school for these students. During rainy season in particular, the walk to school can be unsafe due to river crossings and higher water.
The eight local chiefs project as many as 350 – 400 children from the greater catchment area will register for Grades 1 and 2 once the school is complete (this is far greater than the capacity but will create an additional push for more support and resources).
The government has agreed to provide at least two teachers once the school is completed, and the community has agreed to host or find housing for the teachers.
The new Team Dayā school building houses first and second graders who were previously learning outside. Charles Jefta, headmaster of the Mkuyu Primary School, said 110 first graders use one classroom and 78 second graders use the second classroom. Overall, the attendance of the entire school is up to 609 from 588. The school has also re-enrolled 30 out of school students since January, and ten of the thirty have already been mainstreamed.
“I’m very happy to know that the money we raised helped the community,” said Team Dayā member Serge Matta in prepared comments that were read to the community on Friday, July 3, 2026. “Having grown up in East Africa, namely Kenya, I know first-hand how important it is to have a safe place for kids to go and get an education. I wish you all the best of luck and we will be cheering and supporting you in the years to come.”
(PHOTO: Team Dayā members with the headmaster and teachers in the second grade classroom of the Mkuyu Primary School in Lambwe, Malawi on July 3, 2026.)(PHOTO: The first grade classroom of the Mkuyu Primary School in Lambwe, Malawi on July 3, 2026.)(PHOTO: Students at the new Mkuyu Primary School building in Lambwe, Malawi funded by Team Dayā. Contributed.)
Your Support & The Team
Please consider supporting Team Dayā. We cannot build these schools without your support. Example investment opportunities:
$50,000 Fund an entire school
$1,250 Paint for a school
$625 In-country mason during the entire construction of the school
$312.50 All the nails, nuts, and bolts to build a roof for the school
If you have a combination of fundraising chops, an adventurous spirit and the belief each of us has the capacity to be Building Change, get in touch with us and have a conversation.
(PHOTO: A new Team Dayā school will breakground in Chiosya Village, Malawi on Monday, June 29, 2026. Residents held a community meeting on May 15, 2026 to plan for the new school. Contributed.)
Please consider supporting Team Dayā. We cannot build these schools without your support. Example investment opportunities:
$50,000 Fund an entire school
$1,250 Paint for a school
$625 In-country mason during the entire construction of the school
$312.50 All the nails, nuts, and bolts to build a roof for the school
A new Team Dayā school will breakground in Chiosya Village, Malawi on Monday, June 29, 2026. This is our 13th school overall and the third school being funded in Malawi.
This project would not be possible without the funding efforts of board member Nicolle Pangis and team member Serge Matta. A fundraiser created by Matta at the POSSIBLE conference in late April raised over $40,000, putting our funding efforts for school #13 at and over goal. All additional funds go directly into our building fund for future schools.
Chiosya Village
Chiosya, a small village of 200 people in the Ntchisi district in the central region Malawi (see location) north of the capital Lilongwe, will be building its first school. The current nearest school is 5 kilometers away, and the nearest main road is 20 kilometers away from the village. Most people are farmers growing maize (corn), peanuts, tobacco and soya.
The classrooms in the new school will cater to Grade 1 and Grade 2, eliminating the long walk to school for these students. The eight local chiefs project as many as 350 – 400 children from the greater catchment area will register for Grades 1 and 2 once the school is complete (this is far greater than the capacity but will create an additional push for more support and resources).
The government has agreed to provide at least two teachers once the school is completed, and the community has agreed to host or find housing for the teachers. Ahead of the the groundbreaking, the community has already mobilized quarrystones and bricks to be used in the construction of the school.
(PHOTO: A new Team Dayā school will breakground in Chiosya Village, Malawi on Monday, June 29, 2026. Bricks have been prepared ahead of the groundbreaking. Contributed.)
If you have a combination of fundraising chops, an adventurous spirit and the belief each of us has the capacity to be Building Change, get in touch with us and have a conversation.
