The Fathers Heart Community Development

Enter our competition and win big

To enter the competition for a chance to win with The Fathers Heart, complete your payment below and your contact details to secure your ticket entry.

Rules of the Competition:

This Competition is open to anyone 18 years and over, except for paid staff members of The Fathers Heart Community Development, and Governance Board Members
One prize will be awarded and will be drawn by a member of the Board.
All Prize draws will be officiated by a senior representative of The Fathers Heart Community Development.
The draw will take place no later than 20th December 2025 for paid ticket entries received by the closing date of 14th December at midnight.
All winners will be announced and awarded by 20^th December 2025
There is no limit to the number of tickets an individual can enter to increase their chances of winning
Each ticket will be entered into the draw.
The Prize Draw outcome will be published in the newsletter and website
All prizes are tax-free and a tax certificate may not be issued for competition entries
If prize winner does not come forward to collect within one week of being notified, a new prize winner will be drawn and notified.
To be eligible for entry in the competition each ticket attracts a minimum donation of R20
Unidentified donations will not be allocated ticket numbers or entered into the Draw
Participation in the competition and acceptance of any prize (if you are the winner) is subject to acceptance of the terms & conditions set out
Society Lottery Scheme is registered with National Lotteries Commission (Reg No. 00472/02)

💻✨ Building Future-Ready Kids – One Click at a Time!

With our CEO, Michael Carolissen’s professional background in IT, it has become a priority at The Father’s Heart to equip our children with vital digital skills from an early age.

Our learners are being introduced to:
✅ Computer literacy
✅ Device maintenance
✅ Typing skills
✅ Microsoft Office programs – essential tools that will prepare them for academic growth and long-term workplace success.

In today’s world, IT literacy isn’t optional—it’s empowerment. By making lessons fun and engaging, we’re giving our kids not just skills, but the confidence to step into future opportunities.

🎧 And to keep things exciting… DJing classes are coming soon, led by our own resident DJ & CEO – Uncle Mike!

🚀 Watch this space as we continue to open doors for the next generation.

#DigitalSkills #MicrosoftOffice #WorkplaceReadiness #ComputerLiteracy #YouthDevelopment #TechEducation #TheFathersHeart #FutureReadyKids #EmpowerThroughLearning

Connecting Through Sport: A Day with Athletes in Action

We had the privilege of welcoming another incredible group of volunteers from Athletes in Action, visiting from both the United States and South Africa. Their energy, passion, and love for sport brought a day of pure joy to our online students.

The afternoon was filled with soccer, rugby, dancing, singing, and—most importantly—genuine connection. Beyond the games and activities, our students had the chance to build friendships, share laughter, and experience the power of community both on and off the field.

Outings outside of Fisantekraal are always a special treat for our learners, and this one was no exception. The experience was thoroughly enjoyed by all, and the bonds formed will be remembered long after the final whistle blew.

A heartfelt thank you to Athletes in Action for investing your time, skills, and hearts into our youth once again—you have truly made an impact.

We also extend our gratitude to Fives Futbol Pinehurst for providing a special rate and allowing us to make use of your facilities. Your support plays a big role in making days like this possible.

Together, we’re not just playing games—we’re building confidence, creating memories, and inspiring hope for the future.

Ackermans Commercial Team Joins Us for a Day of Impact in Fisantekraal

As part of their Mandela Day / CSI Initiative, we recently had the privilege of hosting the Ackermans Commercial team for an inspiring and hands-on Open Day at our centre in Fisantekraal.

The day began with a warm welcome from Michael and Jill, who introduced the team to our work, the programs we run, and—most importantly—the why behind what we do. It was an opportunity to share our vision for transformation in the community and the heart behind every initiative.

The Ackermans staff then split into two groups for a meaningful day of service:

Team One stayed on site to engage with some of our youth, parents, and volunteers—getting a first-hand experience of our Online School and the various programs we facilitate through our Afterschools.
Team Two picked up their paintbrushes to help us complete two stunning murals at the centre, bringing a burst of colour and life to our space.

A huge thank you to the Ackermans team for spending far more than just the symbolic 67 minutes with us, and for your generous donation towards our work. Your willingness to get involved, connect, and contribute has left a lasting mark—both on our walls and in our hearts.

We also want to give a special shout-out to Ilje, our talented artist, who designed and prepared the murals so that the Ackermans team could bring them to life with vibrant colour. ❤️

Click here for highlights

Education that opens doors of opportunity

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” - Nelson Mandela

Access to quality education across the life course is a central focus of the Sustainable Development Goals; without quality education and supportive services which ensure there are no impediments to learning, children face considerable barriers to employment & growth. Education is also a human right, one that allows a person to access all other human rights. It is a powerful driver of development, and one of the strongest instruments for reducing poverty and improving health, gender equality, peace, and stability; it gives people the ability to shape a better future for themselves and their societies.

With the Father's Heart launching the first ever online school in Fisantekraal and celebrating 2 years in existence, we asked some of our students to share their experience. The online school was started for the purpose of giving kids in the community who do not have access to education an online option and specifically aimed at those children who had to leave school due to circumstances out of their control, those who were never given the opportunity to start due to limited space or neglect, those who cannot attend mainstream school due to severe bullying or behavioural issues, and also to provide a safe space for teenage moms where they can continue their schooling whilst pregnant. By bridging this gap in education, we ensure they complete their schooling & reach their full potential, instead of dropping out and becoming dependent on government grants, which is often the case.

Janicka – Grade 12

Think Digital Academy is easy to understand. It’s easy to work home when I’m sick. Online school teaches us how to manage time better and we also have a weekly activity report that the parents can see what their children is doing. I prefer Online school because it’ s less pressure from social interactions and your exam timetable is clear and we also get feedback on marked assessments.

Fya – Grade 10

Ek vind dit beter hiedie jaar as die vorige jaar. Ja dis soms moelik, but ek sal liewer my bes probeer as om staat te maak op ander. Wat ek net geleer het is dat jy werk harder and die werk is meer verstaanbaar. Ek vind die online school baie interersant as voorheen cause ek het baie geleer en ook geleer dat jy moet vra vrae

Azur – Grade 10

My experience of the online school was actually good. I don’t have much to say, but learning wise it is excellent. I personally and honestly feel like sometimes I still need like a teacher or someone to give me work in that way as I can get to start working more faster because without that I get easily distracted.

Whasiela – Grade 10

Ek will vandag praat oor hoe ek voel oor die skool. Die Think Digital het my meer ondervinding gegee oor di skool werk. Ek het ook meer ervaring gekry. By ander skole net ek and nie sulker ervaring gerkry. Ek is ssbaie trots op myself want by die online kry ek baie meer punte as wat ek gedink het ek sal kry. My vakke is ook nie a probleem nie. Die online skool is reg vir my. Ek kry al die nogdie hulp wak ek moet kry.

Music that turns trauma into triumph

Music plays a vital role in the development of the children we serve and has been a part of The Fathers Heart programs since inception.

Music is both powerful and therapeutic in helping them to express their emotions, reduce anxiety, help process trauma, and boost concentration and memory, which is important for growing young minds. It also provides a great environment for social interaction and teamwork, a sense of belonging and self-esteem whilst at the same time allowing us to nurture & develop talents in these children that could potentially be used as a means to generate an income and care for themselves & their families later in life.

We kicked off our new Music Program at the beginning of the year where we offer our youth the opportunity to learn more about music theory, how to play instruments, participate in vocal coaching, being part of their own choir or maybe even a band in the future.

This Mandela Day, we invite you to become a#DoDifferent Activist to raise funds for this vital music program. By just completing 3 small tasks, you will raise R1000 for The Fathers Heart. See the infographic below for more information

How to #doDifferent with The Father’s Heart Community Development (1)

On 18 July - Go to https://different.org/, Become a #doDifferent activist for the first time for The Father’s Heart Community Development's project from 18-31 July 2024. Complete the 3 simple “Become an Activist” challenges,

1. Set up your Activist Page

2. Upload your Profile Pic

3. Share your Activist Page to Social Media

and our project receives R1000 to continue making a difference in the lives of orphan & vulnerable families

BONUS: Complete weekly challenges and Diferent.org will allocate more funds to The Father’s Heart Community Development's project.

Giving a hand up and not a hand out

THE FATHERS HEART CURRENCY PROGRAM

Towards the end of September each year, we have our annual Strategic meeting where we look at all that is happening in our organisation to ensure we are still aligned with God’s vision and purpose for Fisantekraal as well as assessing where any issues may have arisen and how to mitigate those factors to ensure impact and success.

We have always prided ourselves on A HAND UP, AND NOT A HANDOUT model, but we realised that slowly, in some respects, we were slipping away from this principle, even though well intentioned. For example, when our beneficiaries needed things, we would do a call out for items, or over MandelaDay when we were gifted items for our beneficiaries, but we realised again how much hand outs, in any form just keep people stymied in the cycle of poverty, inequality and hopelessness & we refuse to do that.

And so, The Fathers Heart Currency Program was born, as a way to still provide our beneficiaries with the things they require, but in a way that it is done with dignity and agency and also fairness to all.

HOW IT WORKS:

We launched the adult, child and teens currency programs at the beginning of the year.

All our adult beneficiaries get opportunities to earn a number of points when attending any of our training & development programs, whether it be personal development or leadership classes, bible study, parent training, parent support groups etc. These accumulated points are then exchanged at the end of every monthly for things like non perishable food staples, toiletries, home ware items, clothing etc.

In the same way with the child and teens program, they can earn their currency points by attending afterschool programs every day, honouring the Code of Conduct, being on time to class, being on their best behaviour etc. The teens and kids get to enjoy shopping with their points for snacks, toys, books, clothing, hair care, airtime vouchers etc. every second week.

We are currently also working on extending this model to providing points for recycling collected in this high waste area, but we will share that as soon as all the details are finalised.

With only a few months into the program, we have already seen amazing results: all our adult programs have been full, there have been incredible testimonies from our volunteers & facilitators as to the behaviour of the kids and teens on our afterschools, and we have had such positive feedback from all of the beneficiaries who are loving being able to earn their points and buy what they want/need.

If you are a corporate, organisation or church that would love to get involved in making an impact in this way, by giving a Hand up and Not a Hand out, be it a once-off or monthly donation, a Mandela Day drive or quarterly partner, please contact megan@thefathersheart.org.za for more information on how you can get involved.

A special Easter celebration with Superbook

Superbook teaches children timeless life lessons through the captivating, Bible-based adventures of two time-traveling children and their robot friend. Superbook is the Bible brought to life through animation to introduce children to Jesus and help develop their faith.

Each Monday, our kids get to experience the bible in a fun and interactive way and we are grateful to CBN for partnering with us to bring the message of Jesus to the kids in the community of Fisantekraal.

On the last day of term, our kids got to go on an exciting adventure and to learn more about the true meaning of Easter. Thank you CBN & Superbook Mzanzi for such a fun and blessed event. Watch the video below for some highlights.

Category: Growing & Developing Children