Love & Hope Project

Please help us build a community centre and creche in one of the poorest areas of Durban, South Africa.

When we moved our little family to Durban from Byron Bay, Australia at the beginning of 2015, we had little idea of what lay ahead for us. We had no intention of starting a charity, but our hearts were captured by some of the most desperately poor & broken people in South Africa.

We started working in Burnwood, an informal community in the midst of the Durban metropolitan area. Thousands of people crammed in small shacks made of corrugated iron, and whatever they can find, with no electricity, no running water and only 4 flushing toilets.

Our hearts were captured on our first “accidental” visit to a creche, with so many little kids, but no sanitation, toys, equipment or any things we would associate with childcare.

In response we started the “Love & Hope Project”. A project that at the heart of it brings dignity back to people and gives them the capacity to rise above their circumstances and to break the cycle that keeps people locked in poverty.

We are involved in so many different facets of people’s lives. Job creation, up-skilling people, providing mentoring, helping people take their “next necessary steps”, like assisting with writing CVs, getting licenses, and ID books and other necessary documentation. We’ve seen many people enter the workforce for the first time in years, and in the process seeing their families transformed. During the recent floods in Durban, we helped rebuild numerous houses, and also organized a clothes and blanket drive that supported many families in their hour of increased need.

We have a large focus on kids, and we currently have groups of kids being taught dance, poetry, singing, drama and playing instruments.  We also run holiday programs for the kids as well as some movie nights, where kids experience little things so many of us take for granted. There’s nothing like 120 kids crammed into a run down building cheering on Simba as they watch the Lion King for the first time. We've also started socccer teams with plans to introduce other sports too. We help train up people within this community to help facilitate these groups.

We connect with people, and find the greatness within them, and as we start to speak into their worlds, we’re starting to see amazing things happen. We have been so blown away by the response from the local community and the observable change in so many.

About a month ago we were invited as VIP guests to the “Celebrate Burnwood” day. Hundreds of people turned up, and for the first time ever they celebrated their own community, and the talents and gifting within it. We watched in awe as people sang, many danced, some recited poetry, and some brought messages to address the major needs in the community: AIDS, violence against women and substance abuse.

The realities of living in South Africa, and working in these communities are harsh at times, our family has witnessed so many things in the past 2 years, that you’d only ever see on the TV in Australia, stabbings, people being beaten and stoned, incidences of gun violence, rioting and many other heartbreaking sights. We’ve had our own scares and have been robbed and held up at various occasions.

To make this project work, we need people who have the capacity to partner with us in making an impact in this city.

We would like to invite you to join with us in this very needed work, by partnering with us in providing seed that we know will lead to fruitfulness, here in Durban, but also in your lives.

Our next goal is to raise $28,000 to enable us to rebuild a community hall and equip and establish a creche for the babies to provide a safe and sanitary space.

The community hall would facilitate many programs we cannot currently facilitate, as there are no suitable facilities. Our after-school homework groups, and other groups would benefit, but a weather proof building would create opportunity for many programs and also provide emergency accommodation in case of fire or storms (many shacks burn down or get destroyed in storms).

It would also provide a space for us to establish a feeding scheme to provide meals for kids currently going to school hungry.

Any donation no matter small helps.

We believe that in years to come we will be part of a revolution in this city, as communities are transformed and people start to dream and have HOPE.

Thank you for your consideration.

Kind regards,

Christiaan & Elise Knoetze


Inside of the current community building we run the programs out of. 

Christiaan distributing food to the kids who on average eat every second day. 

Our 3 boys getting involved helping re-build houses after the floods. Cj (11), Kaleb (9) and Jayden (8)

Burnwood, Durban South Africa housing after the floods. 1000's of people lost what little they had. 

One of the corrugated iron house we donated and built for a family of 6 who lost their house in the floods. 

Our Family

Outside of the current community building we run our "Love and Hope" program out of. 

Outside of the current Creche which holds around 30 babies per day with around 2 untrained workers.  

Inside of the community building after it rains.  

2016 Christmas celebration time with the kids, food and gifts for all!