About the Foundation
YaraStar Foundation exists for children who are too often passed over — children with special needs, and children growing up without the educational opportunities they deserve. We were founded in honour of Yara, a little girl who showed us, in her three years and nine months of life, exactly what a child can do when someone believes in them.
We come alongside families who are doing their best with very little — raising children with developmental delays or disabilities, often with limited access to therapy, support, or information about what is actually possible. Through scholarships, therapy access, and inclusive programming, we help families sustain the work that changes a child's trajectory. We also support schools and care centres in under-resourced communities, and programs that serve widows and orphans.
This work is rooted in our faith. We believe every child carries a unique light — their God-given gift, and that serving them is part of our calling. That conviction is what gets us up in the morning — and it is what we see reflected back in every child whose story we have been trusted to support.
We are not here to rescue. We are here to make room.
our mission
Our mission is to make room for children with special needs and those facing educational poverty — so their gifts can grow, their families can sustain the work, and their futures remain possible. We do this through scholarships, therapy access, and inclusive programs, guided by faith and the conviction that every child's light is worth protecting.
Yara’s Story
Yara means small butterfly — and also strength, courage, and power. Both meanings suited her.
She was born on July 5, 2014, and received a diagnosis of Trisomy 21 (Down syndrome) shortly after birth. The first year of her life included two surgeries: one at three days old to clear an intestinal constriction, and a second at five months to repair a significant hole in her heart. She came through both.
After those early months, Yara's health steadied. She grew. She learned. Her family describes watching her development as one of the most instructive experiences of their lives — because when progress comes slowly, you see every step of it.
What Yara Taught Her Family
By the time Yara was three years old, working with specialists at Doman International, she was reading and comprehending material at the level of a seven or eight-year-old. Her parents didn't fully appreciate what that meant until they were inside it.
"The beauty of watching Yara grow in slow motion revealed to us how amazing God is. The things we took for granted with the development of a typical child — we got to see how much effort it took for her to achieve."— Rajeev and Jaynia Samaroo, Founders
She read books on engineering, science, geography, and world history. She could identify monuments, presidents, and composers. She understood the water cycle, buoyancy, and photosynthesis. She communicated in sign language — often more fluently than her parents. She did addition and subtraction. She loved animals, especially the ones that made her laugh.
She was also never to be outdone yet always supported by her big sister Arya.
Yara Visiting Historical Site: Thursday March 29, 2018
How Yara’s Life Shaped the Foundation
Yara passed away on April 1, 2018 — Easter Sunday — three months before her fourth birthday. An undetected intestinal issue, discovered while the family was travelling, took her quickly.
In the years before she died, her parents had been introduced to a world they had not known existed. A world where children spend months in ICUs. Where adults with multiple university degrees cannot move most of their body or speak in a way most people recognize. Where learning to lift a finger takes months of daily work, and is worth celebrating just as loudly as anything else.
Yara showed them what a child can do when they are given the tools, the time, and someone who refuses to set a ceiling on them. That is the Foundation she left behind.
See Her For Yourself
Meet the Founders & Directors
Rajeev and Jaynia Samaroo are Yara's parents. Both carry Caribbean roots and global footprints — Rajeev from Trinidad and Tobago, Jaynia from Jamaica. They launched YaraStar in 2022, and they lead it with the particular clarity that comes from having lived inside the world they are working to change.
Jaynia Samaroo
President & Director
Jaynia is, first, a mother. That is the lens through which she understands child development — both from her training and from experience she did not choose but would not trade. She leads international prayer groups, counselling sessions, and Christ-centred discipleship programs across multiple countries. She holds a BSc in Industrial Engineering and an MBA.
Rajeev Samaroo
Secretary & Director
Rajeev is Technical Subject Matter Expert in the Oil & Gas Industry with more than 20 years of global experience. He holds a B.Sc. and MSc in Engineering and an MBA in Marketing. What drives his involvement in YaraStar is simpler than any credential: he wants to see children with disabilities exceed what the world has decided to expect from them.
SHARLA MATTHEW
Director
Sharla is a born-again Christian with a strong focus on spreading the Gospel and building the Kingdom of God. She is a wife and a mother of four. Sharla has over 15 years of experience in the Oil & Gas sector, specifically in Technology, holding a BSc. and MSc. in Health, Safety & Environment. Sharla remains focused on helping others and giving testament to the miracle of God’s grace and work in the lives of others.
MELODY EICKMANN
Director
Melody is a preschool teacher, a follower of Jesus, a wife, and a mother. Her background is in Special Education, and her connection to the Down syndrome community is both professional and personal. She brings to the board a practitioner's understanding of what children with special needs are capable of — and what they need in order to get there.
amanda cano
Director - Treasured Talents Camp
Amanda is a special educator and certified Dyslexia Intervention provider with a Master's in Education. She has spent her career building environments where children who learn differently feel capable rather than behind. Her faith in Jesus is woven into her teaching — she wants every student to understand they are seen, loved, and made with purpose.