Many people have bought a cookie at a school bake sale for a good cause, stopped by a local fundraiser, or listened to a friend talk about a charity they love, and at some point decided to give too. For a lot of people, that’s where the story ends: they make a donation, move on with their day, and every so often wonder what really happened to it.
For those who want to support an organization every month or for the long term, that wondering grows into a bigger question: does my donation really make a difference? They want to understand the work they’re supporting, and they want to see the impact for themselves.
That’s a question we welcome at Heart for Africa. Transparency is one of our core values, and we also hope the people who give will join the journey with us and see the impact they’re making, because none of it is possible without them.
When you give to Heart for Africa, your donation goes to work at Project Canaan, a city on a hill in Eswatini where more than 470 children live in family-style homes, attend school on site, and grow up with aunties and uncles who stay for years. Every organization approaches what comes next a little differently, so we’d like to walk you through how we do it, from the moment you give to your first year with us and beyond. Along the way, we hope you’ll feel like what you are: part of our community, and part of the story.
What Happens Right After You Give to Heart for Africa
The moment you give, you’ll receive an email notification that your gift went through, so you know right away that it arrived safely. Soon after, someone from our development team will reach out to share about the impact of your gift, because every gift is having a direct impact on the people at Project Canaan, and we want you to hear what your gift means for them.
It’s also a chance for you to tell us what drew you to this work and an opportunity to ask us anything you’d like to know. Your tax receipt follows in January, so you’ll have it for your records when tax time comes.
Over Your First Year: Seeing the Difference Your Donation Makes
From there, we’ll keep you close to the work, because we want you to see the difference you’re making. In the months that follow, you can expect real stories and examples of impact from Project Canaan, along with a closer look at the community we serve: the family-style homes where our children live, the school on our campus, the farm that helps feed them, and the local people we employ who make it all run smoothly. If there’s a part of the work you’d especially like to hear more about, you can reach out any time, because we’re always happy to share more. And if you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to see Project Canaan in person, our travel page has the details.
Each month, we also send a special email to our supporters called Heartbeat, because our donors are the heart of our organization. It comes from our Co-Founder and Chief Program Officer, Janine Maxwell, who lives on the ground at Project Canaan, so you can follow along between the bigger moments and keep up with the people your generosity supports. We’ll also check in a few times along the way so you can ask questions and hear how things are going.
See Where Your Donation Goes for Yourself
Giving is an act of trust, and we want to earn it, so we make it easy for you to see how we manage what you give. Our financials page has our audited financial statements, our Form 990 filings, and our latest impact report, so you can look for yourself whenever you’d like. And if you’re still deciding where to give, our guide to the five questions to ask before donating to a charity working in Africa can help you feel confident in your choice.
What Your Donation Does for Project Canaan
A gift to our general fund goes wherever Project Canaan needs it most, which means it becomes part of everyday life there: the meals around the table, the school days, and the work of the people who care for our children and keep the project running. Those everyday moments are exactly what we’ll be sharing with you, and when you give, you become part of that story. We’re glad to have you along for it.
If you’d like to be part of the story, you can reach us at info@heartforafrica.org, or give to our general fund by clicking below. We’d love to welcome you.