Shining hope across Eswatini through faith, compassion, and perseverance.
Heart for Africa’s journey began in passion and prayer. Founded by Janine and Ian Maxwell, this faith-driven humanitarian organization embarked on a bold mission in 2009: to bring hope to the Kingdom of Eswatini across four vital areas—Hunger, Orphans, Poverty, and Education (missionfinder.org). With little more than a vision and unwavering trust in God, they purchased 2,500 acres of undeveloped bushland—no roads, electricity, or water—to lay the foundation of Project Canaan.
This chunk of African wilderness, barren and forgotten, would soon become a hub of transformation. By March 2012, the first child arrived, marking the birth of a community built on faith and service (missionfinder.org). What followed was nothing short of miraculous: a home for orphans, a sustainable farm, educational opportunities, job creation, vocational training—and above all, a sanctuary of belonging for over 370 children under twelve whom Heart for Africa has pledged to care for until high school graduation.
Growing Roots: Heart for Africa’s Four Pillars of Impact
Fighting Hunger
Across Eswatini, hunger is an ongoing challenge. Heart for Africa addresses it on two fronts: at Project Canaan and in communities across the country. Their farm on-site produces much of the food for campus life, while a partnership with 30 churches supports a feeding program that reaches 4,500 children, serving meals three to seven days a week.
Caring for Orphans
The heart of their mission is the orphan care program on the Project Canaan campus. Children as young as infants find safe, loving homes, with a promise of full care until they become young adults. Every day here is rooted in routine, structure, and love—creating stability where uncertainty once ruled.
Decreasing Poverty
Their campus is more than a home—it’s an engine of opportunity. Over 400 Swazi nationals hold jobs on the farm, children’s homes, or vocational training programs that teach beadwork, carpentry, mechanics, and more. These are not handouts, but tools to build self-reliance and pride.
Providing Education
Education is the cornerstone of Heart for Africa’s vision. Project Canaan Academy, established to serve the campus children, opens doors to literacy, critical thinking, and God-honoring leadership. As their first class entered Grade 6 in 2023, preparations are underway for expansion into high school. Beyond the campus walls, scholarships and vocational programs broaden access for adults seeking new skills.
A Man Called “Hope”—Anthony Mutua’s Story
In October 2009, a young Kenyan arrived at Project Canaan with little more than grit and faith. Anthony Mutua carried no formal farming degree—only a machete, determination, and the willingness to break land and break ground.
“We had to go house by house in the community, explaining what Project Canaan was and inviting people to work with us,” Anthony recalls.
From those early days of clearing brush to carve fertile fields, Anthony became an emblem of resilience. The hands that chopped trees also planted vision. The goals he sharpened under the African sun would shape his life in unexpected ways.
A Calling Beyond the Soil
Locked into physical labor during the week, Anthony harbored a deeper calling—healthcare. He approached leadership one day and asked for a chance to study nursing, even if it meant juggling school with weekend work. He earned their support…and laid the path for his next chapter.
Today, Anthony serves as Project Canaan’s Healthcare Manager and Hunger Initiative Manager, caring for over 400 children and staff. His dual roles are both operational and pastoral: ensuring medical care, coordinating referrals, and managing the feeding initiative through church partnerships and community engagement.
“Some patients come not just with illness, but with deep emotional pain,” he shares. “I listen. I treat. I follow up. And when they return smiling—it’s everything.”
Multiplying Impact Through Mentorship
Anthony isn’t just a caretaker—he’s a bridge. He actively invites specialist doctors, nurses, dentists, and eye-care professionals to come in and equip the team on the ground. “When specialists come, they don’t just treat—they teach us. Their impact lasts far beyond their visit.”
A Story Redeemed
From the soil of Canaan, Anthony’s story blooms in full. He married his childhood sweetheart on the campus amphitheater. Together, they’re raising their son, Aziel—“God is my strength”—now three, anchoring their hope in the next generation.
“When I first came, I thought I’d serve locally in Kenya,” Anthony reflects. “But God had bigger plans. Today, I get to serve His children in ways I never imagined.”
Why Heart for Africa Matters
Every hectare at Project Canaan is testimony: to compassion, to faith in action, to community transformation. What’s happening in Eswatini is not just charity—it’s a holistic ecosystem:
Hungry children are fed.
Orphans find forever homes.
Families gain a stable income.
Students with bright futures are learning—on campus and how to lead.
This is Kingdom building, one child, one family, one job at a time.
How You Can Make a Difference
Heart for Africa’s mission thrives on generous support. Here are meaningful ways you can join:
Donate
Whether monthly or one-time, every gift fuels feeding programs, healthcare services, education, and vocational training.
Child Sponsorship
Unite with a child through personalized updates. Be the letter they cherish, the encouragement they remember.
Serve on Mission Trips
Apply your skills—healthcare, teaching, trade—to deepen impact on-site. Your knowledge becomes a living legacy.
Become a Heart for Africa Hero
Monthly giving offers exclusive updates, behind-the-scenes stories, and insight into lives transformed by faith and hope.
With Open Hands and Open Hearts
Heart for Africa invites us all to partner in restoring dignity, purpose, and hope. Through their work in Eswatini, they model four pillars that echo across borders:
Hunger: nourishing body and soul.
Orphans: building family where there was none.
Poverty: offering work, not just charity.
Education: investing in tomorrow’s leaders.
Their story shows that even wild bushland can become a place of sanctuary when faith meets action. And when people say “yes” to God’s call—like Anthony did—the possibilities multiply.
If this story moves you, consider standing with Heart for Africa today:
→ Donate Now
→ Become a Sponsor or Hero
→ Plan a Mission Trip
Together, we can transform fields of bush into a world brimming with life, love, and promise.
“From clearing fields to saving lives…” Anthony’s journey reminds us that every seed we plant—of hope, of purpose—can yield harvests beyond our dreams. Will you join us?
