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…
Early Thursday morning I got a message from our medical team reporting that one of our 3-year-olds woke up with soiled pajamas for no reason (it has never happened before). They cleaned her up and moved on with the day. A few hours later she started to shake like she…
