Who is Grace de Souza? A 9th grade Goan student who started a small moringa powder business from her backyard | Details

While summer vacation means more sleep and hours of play for most students, for some, like 13-year-old Grace de Souza, it provides an opportunity to experiment and gain new experiences.

According to a report by The Better India, Grace de Souza, a class 9 student from Goa, had a completely different routine during her summer vacation. She began her days watering the greenery in her family’s backyard, then spent hours sorting, drying and processing leaves. What was grown at home became the basis of a product that found paying customers.

Her business was not driven by a desire to make money; rather, it began with a simple observation: Grace noticed that while moringa grew in her family’s backyard, it was not readily available in many other households. She began researching how to bring the leaves to people who want to use them in their everyday food.

Meet 13-Year-Old Grace de Souza: A Grade 9 Student Who Sold Moringa Powder

Since May 1, 2026, Grace, a Year 9 student at St Mary’s Convent High School in Mapusa, has been making moringa powder from leaves harvested from trees in her family’s garden. In a little over a month, she sold around 20 packages and earned around ₹3000.

According to her mother, who runs ‘The Goan Homestead’, a small business selling pickles, jams, masalas, coconut oil, handmade soaps and ready meals, Grace grew up surrounded by homemade products.

Maria de Mello, Grace’s mother, noted that the idea was entirely her daughter’s. She added: “One day she just said that she wanted to make moringa powder for people who don’t have moringa trees at home. I was honestly very moved listening to her.”

Her interest in the plant developed over time. Moringa was already a familiar ingredient in her home, and her mother regularly used its leaves in cooking and even smoothies. Grace said: “My mother keeps telling us how healthy it is,” adding: “She puts moringa leaves in dal, soups, khichdi, rice and even smoothies for my baby brother.”

After researching the benefits of moringa leaves, which are naturally rich in nutrients such as vitamins A and C, calcium, potassium, iron and protein, she read more about the different ways people consumed them. This led her to research how she could help those who wanted to incorporate moringa into their diet.

The process, from sorting and drying the leaves to grinding them into powder and packaging, takes about three to four days.