By Helen Borland / Staff

Janine and Ian Maxwell are ordinary people who have had an extraordinary effect on thousands of people in the U.S. and Africa. In Swaziland, a land of fewer than a million people, there are about 200,000 AIDS orphans today with 8,000 new orphans every month. Heart for Africa, headed by the Maxwells, is doing something to help those children.

They are currently working on Project Canaan to provide orphans and vulnerable children with nutritious food, security, shelter, education, medical care, and to improve the lives of those living in the rural community surrounding Project Canaan by providing employment through sustainable agriculture.

In June 2009, they were able to purchase a 2,500 acre tract of raw land. This in itself is remarkable because 70 percent of the land in Swaziland is owned by the king and only 30 percent of it is privately held.

In the first six months, two dams were built, two wells were dug, a farm manager's office and living quarters and barn were erected, and workers hired. Since the beginning of 2010, a grass-roofed chapel has been raised and necessary infrastructure including roads and a bridge has been constructed.

This virgin land had electricity running to it, but Heart for Africa has built a new dirt road onto the property that leads to 30 acres of land that they cleared. They hand-planted maize at the beginning of November that's ready to be harvested now. The maize will help achieve two goals; to feed the children of the three partner orphanages and to be sold in the local market to help make the farm self-sustaining.

Ian Maxwell, President of Hope for Africa, said that with 100 acres they felt they could grow enough food to generate enough income to support the three children's homes they currently support in Swaziland. On this new property they plan to have green houses, fish ponds, orchards and more.

One of their goals is to have the children's homes become completely self-sustainable. They can grow their own food, but they need money for clothes and education.

"We believe that Africans should be supporting Africans," said Maxwell. Heart for Africa currently has a child sponsor program whereby a North American can sponsor a child for $120 per month, but the Maxwells want the Africans to be self-sustaining. They see the child sponsor program as a bridge and not a long-term solution.

With the help of professionals, they have completed a business plan and are planning fund-raising efforts for the next phase of their work. Maxwell predicts that in three to five years the farm will be self-sustaining.

Their number one human asset is Farm Director Kaleli Mulli, a Kenyan native. He has a Bachelor's degree in Agriculture and an MBA in Finance and Strategic Management. He's also the son of a father who for twenty years has run a children's home in Kenya that takes care of 2,000 children with a very large agricultural program.

Project Canaan is using the senior Mulli's program as a model. One unique feature of the Mulli orphanage is the fact that they have acres of greenhouses in which they grow thousands of pounds of hydroponic green beans per month for export to The Netherlands. 

When Mulli came to Project Canaan in Swaziland, he brought with him four other experienced Kenyans who will help him get the farm running and then train Swazis to take over.

"It's not just about growing food, selling food and generating income," declared Maxwell. "It's way more than that because [this program] is developing leadership, and the community surrounding it is now being employed. Currently on the farm there are 23 people that are full time. In three years it will employ 800 full and part-time people …It's a huge income generator for the whole area."

In a country with 70 percent unemployment, this farm work is a golden opportunity.

"We're only moving as fast as we can afford to move. We're not going into debt to do this. We get everything up front. Once it (the farm) starts generating an income, we can then support the orphans," explained Maxwell.

After the dormitories and school are built, the next step is to begin vocational training for the kids who are not able to handle advanced academic work. Malnutrition takes a tremendous toll on brain development, especially during the first two years of life. The students are taught rudimentary reading and writing and some basic mathematics at school, then vocational training will begin. The training will also be provided to others in the community who want to learn a skill or a trade.

Fundraising in Missouri raised $120,000 to build the first Baby's Home, which will be ready by next spring. "The need is so great. Currently there is only one recognized baby home in Swaziland and it's full, "Maxwell explained. "Last week they had to turn away five babies. It’s a huge problem, so the faster we can get this up and running the better it will be,"

The goal of faith-based, humanitarian Heart for Africa is to ignite within people a desire to go to Africa for a life-changing experience while connecting with the people they serve. Volunteers go on 11-day mission trips to help educate, encourage and work side-by-side with the citizens to show them that others care. For more information, go to www.heartforafrica.org or call Heart for Africa at 678-566-1589.