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Comprehensive Care for Vulnerable Children in South Africa

Starfish Greathearts Foundation partners with trusted community-based organizations across South Africa to provide children and families with education, nutrition, healthcare, and social welfare support.

Help Fund This Important Work
Board view: program cards show real program/CBO names. Flag badges indicate chapter funding. Financial links are ready to connect to each program budget.

Our Integrated Model

A child cannot thrive through one service alone. That is why Starfish supports programs that respond to several of the needs children and families face every day. Many programs provide support across more than one pillar, creating consistent care that helps children learn, grow, stay healthy, and feel supported.

EDUCATION
737
children attend a Starfish-supported early learning center
Watch the Education video
 
Watch Education Video
NUTRITION
248,139
warm meals and nutritious snacks provided to hungry children
Watch the Nutrition video
 
Watch Nutrition Video
HEALTHCARE
23,664
health consultations and preventative care provided
Watch the Healthcare video
 
Watch Healthcare Video
SOCIAL WELFARE
1,486
women were supported through the maternal health program
Watch the Social Welfare video
 
Watch Social Welfare Video
Education

Strong Beginnings Start with Education

Starfish supports community-based preschool and early childhood programs that give young children foundational education, developmental support, learning materials, caring educators, and safe places to learn and grow.

🇺🇸Children learning at a Starfish-supported preschool

Agape (Rooidakke)

Western Cape

125
Children receiving education

 

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🇺🇸Children enrolled at Tumelong

Tumelong Preschool

Western Cape

50
Children receiving education

 

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🇺🇸Children participating in early learning

Masibulele Preschool

Western Cape

115
Children receiving education

 

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🇺🇸Children at a Starfish-supported preschool

Aquina Preschool

KwaZulu-Natal

75
Children receiving education

 

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🇺🇸Child participating in a Starfish-supported program

New Horizon Preschool

Gauteng

59
Children receiving education

 

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🇬🇧Children learning and playing

Bongimpilo Preschool

KwaZulu-Natal

70
Children receiving education

 

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🇬🇧Children participating in early childhood learning

Vukukhanye Preschool

KwaZulu-Natal

41
Children receiving education

 

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🇬🇧Children participating in early learning

Umthombo Preschool

KwaZulu-Natal

22
Children receiving education

 

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🇬🇧Children participating in early learning activities

Ncedanani Makhoba

Eastern Cape

51
Children receiving education

 

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🇬🇧Child participating in a Starfish-supported education program

Khanya-Inkwekwezi

Eastern Cape

71
Children receiving education

 

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🇺🇸Copy of SGF Marketing Assets-42 (1)

Agape (Asiphe House Special Needs Facility)

Western Cape

65
Children receiving specialized support

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Coming Soon🇺🇸Children participating in early childhood learning

Rotandwa Preschool

Gauteng

A new Starfish-supported preschool will expand early learning and developmental support for children in Gauteng.

 

Funding Details Coming Soon

🇺🇸Coming SoonSGF-79

Idayimani Preschool

Western Cape

A new Starfish-supported school will provide young children with early learning, classroom support, and developmental opportunities in the Western Cape.                                    

Funding Details Coming Soon

🇺🇸Coming SoonCopy of SGF-192

Maadishego (Karongwe Preschool 1)

Limpopo

A new Karongwe-supported preschool will provide young children with early learning, play, and developmental support.

Funding Details Coming Soon

🇺🇸Coming SoonKarongwe early childhood education

Maakoma (Karongwe Preschool 2)

Limpopo

A new Karongwe-supported preschool will give children a safe place to learn, play, and build school-readiness skills.

Funding Details Coming Soon

🇺🇸Coming Soon3-4

Maamela (Karongwe Preschool 3)

Limpopo

A new Karongwe-supported preschool will strengthen early education and daily care for young children in the community.

Funding Details Coming Soon

Additional Education Program

Coming SoonSGF-23

Volunteer Experience

Limpopo

The volunteer experience will connect supporters with hands-on service, community engagement, and the work supporting children.

 

Funding Details Coming Soon

Support Education
Nutrition

Nutritious Food for Growing Children

Children learn better when they are not hungry. Starfish-supported programs provide reliable nutrition that strengthens healthy growth, concentration, classroom participation, and overall development.

🇺🇸Children receiving nutrition support

Agape (Rooidakke)

Western Cape

6,840
Meals provided monthly

 

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🇺🇸 Table & Chairs

Tumelong Preschool

Western Cape

3,300
Meals provided monthly

 

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🇺🇸SGF-95

Masibulele Preschool

Western Cape

5,871
Meals provided monthly

 

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🇺🇸Children receiving nutrition support

Aquina Preschool

KwaZulu-Natal

4,446
Meals provided monthly

 

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🇺🇸 SGF-105-1

New Horizon Preschool

Gauteng

4,012
Meals provided monthly

 

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🇬🇧Children receiving nutrition support

Bongimpilo Preschool

KwaZulu-Natal

4,200
Meals provided monthly

 

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🇬🇧Children receiving nutrition support

Vukukhanye Preschool

KwaZulu-Natal

2,520
Meals provided monthly

 

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🇬🇧Children receiving nutrition support

Umthombo Preschool

KwaZulu-Natal

1,260
Meals provided monthly

 

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🇬🇧Children receiving nutrition support

Ncedanani Makhoba

Eastern Cape

2,040
Meals provided monthly

 

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🇬🇧Children receiving nutrition support

Khanya-Inkwekwezi

Eastern Cape

2,720
Meals provided monthly

 

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🇺🇸Children receiving nutrition and education support

Agape (Asiphe House Special Needs Facility)

Western Cape

12,090
Meals provided monthly

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Coming Soon🇺🇸Children receiving nutrition support

Rotandwa Preschool

Gauteng

A new nutrition program will provide reliable meals and nutritious food alongside Rotandwa Preschool in Gauteng.

 

Funding Details Coming Soon

🇺🇸Coming SoonNutrition support for children at Idayimani

Idayimani PReschool

Western Cape

A new nutrition program will provide dependable meals and food support to children attending Idayimani in the Western Cape.

 

Funding Details Coming Soon

🇺🇸Coming SoonSGF-95

Maadishego (Karongwe Nutrition Program 1)

Limpopo

A new nutrition program will provide dependable meals and food support alongside Maadishego (Karongwe Preschool 1).

Funding Details Coming Soon

🇺🇸Coming SoonKarongwe nutrition program

Maakoma (Karongwe Nutrition Program 2)

Limpopo

A new nutrition program will provide dependable meals and food support alongside Maakoma (Karongwe Preschool 2).

Funding Details Coming Soon

🇺🇸Coming SoonStarfish-696x462

Maamela (Karongwe Nutrition Program 3)

Limpopo

A new nutrition program will provide dependable meals and food support alongside Maamela (Karongwe Preschool 3).

Funding Details Coming Soon

🇺🇸Coming SoonKarongwe community drop-in site

Bismark (Karongwe

Drop-In Center)

Limpopo

A new community drop-in site will provide food, care, and practical support to children in the surrounding community.

Funding Details Coming Soon

🇺🇸Coming SoonKarongwe community drop-in site

Enable (Karongwe Drop-In Center)

Limpopo

A second community drop-in site will extend reliable food and care to more children in the surrounding community.

Funding Details Coming Soon

Additional Nutrition Program

NEWfood garden-1

Ubuntu Mundo Fresh Food Partnership

Limpopo

Starfish is partnering with Ubuntu Mundo, which has two central kitchens and two farms, to feed 2,400 children in 10 preschools and 2 primary schools.

Funding Details Coming Soon

Support Nutrition
Healthcare

Healthcare That Reaches Children and Families

Starfish-supported healthcare programs bring essential services closer to children and families through mobile healthcare, preventative care, maternal health services, screenings, oral healthcare, treatment, and referrals.

Community Wellness Program

Wellness Wagons

Our Wellness Wagons bring mobile healthcare directly into underserved communities, providing children and families with screenings, preventative care, treatment, health education, referrals, and follow-up support.

🇺🇸Healthcare provided through a Starfish Wellness Wagon

Jim Johnson Wagon

Mobile Healthcare

Provides screenings, preventative care, treatment, health education, referrals, and follow-up support.

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🇬🇧Jim Johnson Wellness Wagon providing community healthcare

Zisize Wellness Wagon 1

Mobile Healthcare

Delivers mobile healthcare directly into communities with screenings, preventative care, referrals, and follow-up support.

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🇬🇧Child receiving a healthcare check inside a Wellness Wagon

Zisize Wellness Wagon 2

Mobile Healthcare

Brings primary and preventative healthcare directly into underserved communities.

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🇺🇸Coming SoonChildren receiving mobile healthcare

Wellness Wagon

Mobile Healthcare

Helps children and families receive essential healthcare closer to home.   

Funding Details Coming Soon

Additional Healthcare Programs

🇬🇧Untitled design (3)-1

Ethembeni Health Program

Maternal Health

360
Women supported — Q1 2026
290
Children supported — Q1 2026

Provides maternal healthcare and support during pregnancy and the early stages of a child's life.               

                                                      

View Funding Details

Children participating in oral health programming

Sasol Health Campaign

Dental Care

45,000
Reaching children in Sasolburg, Secunda, Ekandustria, and uMkomati

Provides oral-health education, dental screenings, preventative care, oral-hygiene supplies, and referrals when further treatment is needed.        

 

Girls receiving practical school support

Sanitary Items for Girls

Menstrual Health & Dignity

Provides sanitary pads to school-aged girls who may not otherwise have reliable access to menstrual-hygiene supplies. By making these essentials available through Starfish-supported programs, girls can manage their periods with greater dignity and confidence, reducing a practical barrier that can disrupt classroom participation, daily routines, and consistent school attendance.

Children supported through Starfish child safeguarding programs

Partnership with

Save the Children 

Child Safeguarding

Through a six-month partnership with Save the Children South Africa, Starfish is strengthening child safeguarding systems across its staff and partner network through audits, policy and reporting improvements, screening, and safeguarding training. The partnership is designed to embed consistent safeguarding practices and support Starfish toward Bronze Child Safeguarding Accreditation.

Teacher emergency response and healthcare training

CPR Training for Teachers

Emergency Preparedness

Each Starfish-supported school will have at least one teacher or staff member certified in CPR, so someone on site is prepared to respond during a medical emergency. The training gives educators practical lifesaving skills, greater confidence in an emergency, and clear steps to take while professional medical assistance is being reached.                                     

Support Healthcare
Social Welfare

Supporting Children and the People Who Care for Them

A child's wellbeing is closely connected to the stability of the people and community around them. Starfish-supported social welfare services provide practical, emotional, and financial support to children and caregivers.

🇺🇸Untitled design (4)-1

Thandanani

Grief & Bereavement Support

Provides grief counseling and emotional support to children grieving the loss of a parent or primary caregiver.

 

 

 

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🇺🇸🇬🇧Child receiving school support

School Fees Program

Education Assistance

196
Children will receive school-fee support annually

Provides targeted school-fee support so children facing financial hardship can remain connected to their education.

 

🇺🇸Child supported with school essentials

Sharks Foundation

School Shoes

634
Children will receive school shoes

Our ongoing partnership with the Sharks Foundation will provide school shoes to children who need them so they can attend school with greater comfort and dignity.

 

Funding Details Coming Soon

🇺🇸ChatGPT Image Aug 14, 2026, 12_26_48 AM

Sewing Machine Program

Western Cape

Starfish donated two sewing machines, helping unemployed single mothers build sewing skills and access resources to make school uniforms for children.

🇺🇸Coming SoonKarongwe community drop-in site

Bismark (Karongwe Drop-In Site 1)

Limpopo

A new drop-in site will provide children with food, care, and a dependable place to receive practical support.

🇺🇸Coming SoonKarongwe community drop-in site

Enable (Karongwe Drop-In Site 2)

Limpopo

A second drop-in site will extend food, care, and practical support to more children in the surrounding community.

Support Social Welfare

One Child. Many Needs. Comprehensive Care.

Education, nutrition, healthcare, and social welfare are deeply connected. A nutritious meal helps a child concentrate. A health screening can identify a concern before it becomes more serious. A safe preschool provides stability during a child's most important early years. Support for a caregiver can strengthen an entire household.

Learn
Early education and developmental support.
Grow
Nutritious food for stronger bodies and minds.
Stay Healthy
Healthcare that identifies and treats concerns.
Feel Supported
Practical and emotional support for children.
A child’s next meal, lesson, health check, or counseling session can start with your gift.

Help a Child Receive the Care They Need to Thrive

Your gift helps provide early education, nutritious food, mobile healthcare, grief counseling, school support, and practical care for children across South Africa.

Education  •  Nutrition  •  Healthcare  •  Social Welfare

Donate Now — Support a Child

Privacy & POPIA Compliance: In alignment with South Africa's Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), Starfish Greathearts Foundation is committed to protecting the privacy and dignity of the children, families, schools, and community partners we serve. Public-facing program names are used where appropriate to safeguard confidential information and sensitive community details.

                          Starfish Greathearts Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) organization. Your gifts are tax-deductible. Tax EIN #20-3622548. We are committed to using your donation wisely to bring care, dignity, and joy to children across South Africa.

                                                                             Have confidence in the impact of your donation.

 

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Names & faces have been changed to protect the identity of children in compliance with COPPA legislation