Our Team
JANINE MAXWELL
CO-FOUNDER & COO, VICE-CHAIR OF BOARD
IAN MAXWELL
CO-FOUNDER & CEO
Born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario, Ian never thought he would end up in Africa. After working at ONYX Marketing Group in North York, Ontario for 10 years his life took a turn when he and his wife Janine were directly impacted by the events in New York city on September 11th, 2001. In 2006, they both left the corporate world and founded a non-profit organization called Heart for Africa (Canada). Their focus turned to the tiny kingdom of Eswatini, Africa, where their family moved in 2012. Ian’s vision for a self-sustainable project to provide food-security, vocational training, education and a home for orphans and vulnerable children led them to purchase 1,000 hectares of land, which they now call Project Canaan. On the ground, Ian focuses on the operations of each facet – building capital projects, farm production, distribution, mentorship and MUCH more. He is gifted in uniting people from many nations to work together for comprehensive and sustainable solutions.
CHLOE MAXWELL
MARKETING & COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST
Chloe lives in St.Catharines, Ontario and first traveled to Eswatini with her family when she was 8 years old. Chloe spent every summer volunteering and helping lead Heart for Africa trips with her family to Eswatini, Malawi and Kenya until the age of 15. In 2012, Chloe moved with her family to Project Canaan where she spent a year schooling and supporting the mission. Her journey continued to finish her high schooling in Taiwan and attend Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario where she graduated with an Honors degree in Business Communications. She is unbelievably thankful and humbled for the opportunity to work for an organization she found roots in at such an early age and make a difference in the country of Eswatini. She hopes to share her love for Heart for Africa in the Canadian market and invite as many people as possible to be a part of the incredible story of HOPE at Project Canaan.
Our board of directors

Carol Hickman obtained her law degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 1987 and has practiced family law in the Greater Vancouver area for over 25 years. Carol has extensive experience in complex family law matters, including property division, maintenance, and custody and access disputes. She has experience at all levels of Court including the Supreme Court of Canada.
Carol was a Bencher of the Law Society of BC from 2004 – 2011, when she completed her final term, and sat on several Committees and Task Forces. Carol continues to sit on Law Society Discipline Hearing panels. Carol was recognized for her contribution to the legal profession when she was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2010.
For the past 15 years, Carol has been helping couples resolve their disputes outside of the courtroom, as a family law Mediator and a Collaborative family lawyer. Carol is also a family law Arbitrator. Carol has been an instructor for Continuing Legal Education for many years and has also been a guest instructor at UBC Law School and Thompson Rivers University Law School. Carol has been a guest speaker across North America in the area of family law. Carol recently completed her Masters of Law in Alternate Dispute Resolution at Osgoode Hall Law School.
Carol continues her litigation practice at Quay Law Centre, the largest group of family lawyers in BC. In addition, in 2012 Carol established West Coast ADR Law Group, which is focused on mediation, arbitration and collaborative law.
Carol has been involved in a number of charities and is actively involved with her Church. Carol is also very passionate about Heart for Africa (Canada) and the children at Project Canaan. Carol was instrumental in organizing a large fundraiser in BC, in the fall of 2016, to raise money for Project Canaan Academy. Carol and her husband Barry made their first trip to Eswatini in 2016. They spent the majority of their time with the children and participating in the HFA Outreach Program. Carol is passionate about raising awareness of the drought, famine and AIDS epidemic in Eswatini. Carol is organizing another large fundraiser in BC and can’t wait to see the children of Project Canaan again in 2017.


Cheri was blessed to be born into a Christian family and was brought up in the Church. She accepted Jesus as her Savior very early in life and His hand has been upon her all her life. Cheri and her husband Dave have four children and she had the privilege of being a stay at home Mom until the last child went off to college. After the kids were gone she and her husband started a retail flooring business that they owned for 12 years. They sold that business and retired for a bit. Currently, Cheri works at a Seniors residence in Penticton.
Cheri’s introduction to Heart for Africa (Canada) came from Dave’s connection to Mercy Tech Mission. MTM’s Mission statement is “Changing Lives – One Skill at a Time”. They have been working at Project Canaan for a few years, training employees in auto mechanics, welding, electrical, and millwrights. Dave was interested (as a Mercy Tech board member) in going to Eswatini to get a sense of the opportunity, and to help plan for future training missions. Cheri agreed to go along and was astounded by the whole operation!
Cheri spent an epic “day in the life” with Janine – they picked up baby Cheri and baby Jewel in the morning and in the afternoon took Elvis II’s Mom up country to the Hospital to await his birth. On the way home Janine stopped at a roadside vegetable stand and bought all of their sweet potatoes. Were the venders ever happy. Cheri was hooked! The kids, the farm, the hydraponics, aquaponics, the fruit, the fields, the dairy, the egg production, the school, the Medical clinic, the Artisans, the housing, the mechanic shop – an amazing operation!
Cheri is deeply honored and humbled to be asked to join this incredible group of people and do what she can to move this project forward.

My wife Laurie and I live in Carleton Place Ontario and have three grown boys, three lovely daughter-in-laws and eight wonderful G babies. I grew up in a Christian home with a focus on Missions where I would hear stories of God’s faithfulness and mercy.
I knew at a young age that I wanted to be a follower of Christ and an Auto Mechanic. Following Jesus has taken me to many church roles such as teacher, board member and the hardest trying to live like Him each day. I was certified as an Auto Mechanic after high school and have been learning ever since.
I am a passionate gear head and love all things mechanical which is what took me to Eswatini in 2017 for the first time. I went to teach Auto Mechanics to Project Canaan employees in the Lusito Mechanic Shop with Mercy Tech Mission. I had no idea what a profound influence Project Canaan and the children would have on my life. I tried very hard to concentrate only on all the mechanical issues but over time Love broke through and my heart was captured. Heart for Africa is a place of hope not only for Eswatini but for anyone who wants to see a difference in the world. Come to Africa and make a difference in someone’s life they said, it made a difference in my life. I am honored to serve with Heart for Africa in any way that I am able.

Dr. Mark McGee became involved with Heart for Africa in 2007 when he met Janine & Ian Maxwell. They invited him to travel to Eswatini to provide dental care for the children and caretakers. After reading Janine’s first book and spending many months praying about his invitaiton, God put it upon his heart that his services were needed in Eswatini.
Dr McGee’s first trip to Eswatini was in the summer of 2008. He traveled with his three children and worked out of a horse trailer and with a folding chair in the field treating patients. He has since returned to serve in 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2017. Dr. McGee considers traveling to and working in Eswatini with Heart for Africa an opportunity and his Christian obligation to serve. He feels privileged and honored to serve God, His children, those in great need, and to serve alongside the volunteers and individuals involved with Heart for Africa.
Dr. McGee lives in Alpharetta, GA with his beautiful wife Kim. They have five children between them. He has an undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University and a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from LSU Dental School in New Orleans. He served as chief resident of his medical/dental post-doctoral residency at Charity Hospital in New Orleans. He has been in practice for thirty years and currently maintains a private restorative dental practice in Alpharetta.