By Marlize Adair | Director of Philanthropy and Communications
For children growing up in underserved communities across South Africa, the needs they face do not disappear after one meal, one school term, or one visit from a healthcare worker. They need consistent care, reliable support, and people who continue showing up for them.
Because of your generosity, that support continues.
Through this project, the Starfish Greathearts Foundation works alongside trusted community-based organizations to help children receive the nutrition, education, healthcare, and social welfare support they need throughout the year.
Consistent Care Makes a Difference
For a child, something as simple as arriving at school and knowing there will be a meal can change the course of the day.
A school uniform can mean walking into the classroom with confidence. After-school support can provide a safe place to finish homework and receive encouragement. A health check can identify a concern before it becomes more serious. And for younger children, a caring preschool environment provides the opportunity to learn, play, develop, and prepare for school.
Your support helps make these everyday moments of care consistent.
Through this ongoing project, children continue to receive:
Providing Support to the People Closest to the Children
Starfish believes lasting change is strongest when communities are equipped to care for their own children.
That is why we continue to partner with local organizations already working within the communities they serve. Starfish provides funding, guidance, training, and resources that help these organizations strengthen their programs and respond to the needs they see every day.
This community-led approach allows support to reach children through people who know their families, understand their circumstances, and are there long after a single intervention ends.
25 Years of Showing Up
This year marks 25 years since Starfish began serving children in South Africa. During that time, more than 500,000 children have been reached through programs focused on education, nutrition, healthcare, and social welfare.
Behind that number are individual children walking into classrooms, sitting down to nourishing meals, receiving medical care, being supported through difficult family circumstances, and having adults in their communities looking out for them.
Your generosity is part of that continued work.
The Work Continues
This remains an active and ongoing project, and the need continues.
Thousands of children still rely on consistent support to remain healthy, stay engaged in their education, and grow up in safer, more stable environments.
With continued support, Starfish and our community partners can keep showing up for these children—not just for one day, but throughout the year.
Thank you for standing alongside children in South Africa and helping provide the steady, practical care they can count on.
By Marlize Adair | Director of Philanthropy and Communications
By Marlize Adair | Director of Philanthropy and Communications
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
Support this important cause by creating a personalized fundraising page.
Start a Fundraiser
