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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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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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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….
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…
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…
The question behind child sponsorship For many people, the first exposure to organizations working with vulnerable children comes through child sponsorship. A monthly number is often presented (i.e. $30, $100, $500+ per month) and the assumption is simple: that is what it costs to care for a child. But the…
Every nonprofit eventually enters a season where it must pause, reassess, and make difficult operational decisions. For Heart for Africa (Canada), this is one of those seasons. As the organization that supports the work happening at Project Canaan in the Kingdom of Eswatini, Africa, we are currently navigating an operational…
When people hear the phrase sustainable nonprofits, it often sounds straightforward. The assumption is that an organization simply needs to create programs that fund themselves, reduce reliance on donations, and operate independently over time. In practice, building a sustainable nonprofit is far more complex. Organizations working in long-term development must…