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The mission of Heart for Africa (Canada) is simple: fight hunger, care for orphans, decrease poverty and provide education.

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New babies

It’s been a very difficult year with our decision to not accept babies due to lack of funding and full-to-overflowing homes. We have turned away too many to count, and then the calls stop coming because the social welfare officers know that we really aren’t accepting babies. After much prayer…

Beyond Your Will: The Tax-Smart Way to Leave a Charitable Gift in Canada 

Did you know you can name a charity as the direct beneficiary of your RRSP, RRIF, TFSA, or life insurance policy, without changing a word of your will?  Most Canadians who want to include a charitable gift in their estate plans think first about their will. But some of the…

What Does It Mean to Leave a Legacy? A Guide to Charitable Giving in Your Will

If you’ve been meaning to sit down and write a will for years, you’re not the only one. According to a 2026 CIBC and Ipsos poll, 94% of Canadians believe everyone should have a will. Only 52% actually have one. Most of us aren’t putting it off because we don’t…

A Lifelong Commitment: How We Care for Orphaned and Vulnerable Children at Project Canaan 

There are over 140 million orphaned children in the world today, with more than 52 million living in sub-Saharan Africa. In the Kingdom of Eswatini, where we work, nearly one in four children has lost one or both parents, the direct result of decades of HIV and AIDS dismantling a…

My heart is so heavy

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…

Child Sponsorship in Africa: What It Actually Covers and Why It Matters 

Most people who consider supporting a child in Africa have a general sense of what it involves: a monthly contribution, a connection to a child, and the knowledge that somewhere across the world, a life is a little better because of it.   This is a great start and today we…

23 Years Later…

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…

There Are 86,000 Charities in Canada. Here’s How to Find One Worth Supporting 

Did you know that Canada has over 86,000 registered charities? They span everything from local food banks to international development organizations, from arts programs to medical research. With so many options, it can be genuinely difficult to find one you feel connected to, confident in, and certain is doing what…

What Education Looks Like for Vulnerable Children in Africa 

Every year on June 16, the world marks the International Day of the African Child, a day that traces its roots to the 1976 Soweto uprising, when thousands of South African students took to the streets to protest an education system designed to limit them. The day has since grown…

My Friend Tricia

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…

What Real Nonprofit Sustainability Looks Like in Practice 

Most nonprofit organizations are built on a familiar financial model. They rely on donations, grants, and fundraising to support their work. While some organizations generate revenue through products or services, the majority remain largely dependent on external giving to sustain their operations over time.  This model is not inherently flawed….

What We Learned From Building a Dairy Operation in Africa 

Is dairy farming a sustainable solution in Africa?  This is a question that comes up more often than you might think in conversations about food systems, nutrition, and nonprofit sustainability. On the surface, the logic is compelling. Dairy can provide consistent protein, support local agriculture, and generate income when production…

Why Some Development Projects Need to Slow Down Before They Can Grow 

Growth is not always the goal In the nonprofit and development space, growth is often seen as a clear sign of success. More programs = More reach = More activity.  From the outside, it can seem like forward momentum should always look like expansion. But in practice, building something that…

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