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The mission of HEART FOR AFRICA is simple: fight hunger, care for orphans, decrease poverty and provide education.
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When we started building Project Canaan on 2,500 acres of land in Eswatini in 2009, we made a decision that has shaped every choice since: we were not going to build a place where children are simply cared for. We were going to build a place where children grow into…
Yesterday I learned about four babies who need a place to live and be saved. I had to say no. The social worker begged me. I still had to say no because we don’t have the funding to care for the children we currently have. The tiny baby home is…
More than half of Eswatini’s entire population is under 25 years old. The median age in this country of 1.27 million people is 22.7 years — one of the youngest population profiles of any nation on earth. That is a striking number on its own, but the reason behind it…
While we are celebrating the 20th anniversary of Heart for Africa in 2026, my journey to Africa started in 2003 on the streets of Lusaka, Zambia, and Nairobi, Kenya. I will never forget all five of my senses being assaulted and then put on high alert. I clearly remember the…
Whether you’ve given to a charity here and there over the years or you’re ready to find one you can really get behind, most people arrive at the same question eventually: how do I actually know this is going to make a difference? It’s a question we hear often, and…
In September 2001, Heart for Africa co-founder, Janine Maxwell, was sitting at a hotel conference room in New York City when the first tower was hit. Her husband and co-founder, Ian, was on a flight to Chicago, and they didn’t know if each other was alive. She couldn’t have known…
Earlier this month I had the privilege of traveling to Alpharetta, Georgia, where the Maxwell family lived for six years. We moved there 20 years ago, and we have lived in Africa for 14 years, and it sometimes seems that we are just getting started. Ian and I have met…
Many people are drawn to the idea of volunteering in Africa because they want to make a difference. That desire is meaningful, but it often comes with questions about what the experience will actually look like, how volunteers can be helpful, and what kind of impact a short-term trip can…
Feeding thousands of children every week in rural Africa requires a system that can move food consistently, partnerships that can sustain supply, and local networks that ensure it reaches the children who need it most. At Heart for Africa, this work happens through a community feeding program designed to do…
How Children Receive Education at Project Canaan Education at Project Canaan is not confined to a classroom. It happens in early childhood centers where young children begin learning structure and curiosity. It continues in classrooms where students work through reading, mathematics, science, and technology. And it extends far beyond the…
The question behind child sponsorship How do you build a daily schedule for a large group of children? Whether it is a school, a camp, or a childcare program, the challenge is often the same. You are balancing different ages, activities, energy levels, and limited space, all within a single…
Across the world, millions of children grow up without stable parental care. In the Kingdom of Eswatini, this reality has shaped an entire generation. Many of these children are described using a term commonly used by international organizations: orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs). The phrase refers not only to children…
Many people have heard of child sponsorship, but fewer people understand how the model actually works behind the scenes. For organizations caring for vulnerable children, sponsorship is not simply a symbolic connection between a donor and a child. It is a funding system designed to support the full set of…