Our Story

About Heartbeat Africa

Empowering and transforming lives across East Africa since 2004

Who We Are

A Charity Built on Love & Action

Heartbeat Africa is a Christian charity committed to embodying the practical love of Christ through its outreach to those in need, with a dedicated focus on East Africa.

The charity works tirelessly to provide support and assistance to individuals and communities who have been forgotten and neglected. By addressing both immediate needs and long-term empowerment, Heartbeat Africa seeks to provide enduring hope, embodying the core mission of transforming lives.

Central to Heartbeat Africa's mission is the belief in empowerment and the transformative power of faith, hope and love. The charity's efforts are directed towards creating sustainable changes that uplift individuals, particularly those who are often forgotten or rejected by society.

By addressing both immediate needs and long-term empowerment, Heartbeat Africa seeks to provide hope and dignity, reflecting its core mission of transforming lives through a variety of programmes and initiatives.

Heartbeat Africa in the field
Heartbeat Africa supporting children in the community
22+ Years of Service
£400k+
Total Raised
200+
Children Educated
3
Partner Charities
5,000+
Lives Touched
Our Purpose

These foundational principles guide every aspect of our work

Our Mission

Heartbeat Africa is a Christian charity with the primary goal of demonstrating the practical love of Christ to those in need, particularly in East Africa.

Our Vision

Our vision is for those who are often forgotten, neglected and unloved children to see many lives being restored, empowered, and transformed by the love of Christ in action. We have a vision of the orphan being welcomed into a loving family, the physically and mentally afflicted being restored, the outcast being accepted, the widow knowing she is not forgotten, the sick being healed and the poor being cared for.

Why Heartbeat Africa

A name that represents compassion and urgency

Our name, Heartbeat Africa, represents the deep compassion and urgency that drives our work. Just as the heartbeat is essential to life, we believe love in action is essential to hope and transformation. Every project, every act of service, every partnership is an expression of God's heartbeat for the people of Africa a love that calls us to serve, to restore dignity, and to bring lasting change.

Heartbeat Africa
Our Core Values

These principles guide every action and decision

01

Integrity

Every pound donated, every promise made is honoured with full transparency and accountability.

02

Community-Led

We partner with local leaders and organisations who understand their communities best.

03

Collaboration

Working together with partner organisations to achieve greater, lasting collective impact.

04

Sustainability

Building initiatives that outlast our presence, creating self-sustaining futures for communities.

And so we know and rely on the love God has for us... We love because He first loved us.
1 John 4:16, 19
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
James 1:27
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
James 2:14–18
Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.
Isaiah 1:17
Our Journey

From humble beginnings to impactful change

Visit & Inspiration
2004

Visit & Inspiration

Chris Saunders, Africa Project Coordinator, visits Kenya for the first time at the age of 17. Deeply moved by the poverty and suffering he witnessed, this trip plants the seed for Heartbeat Africa and begins his lifelong mission to help those forgotten and rejected by society.

Foundation Building
2004–2019

Foundation Building

Over 15 years, Chris visits Kenya numerous times, spending time with orphans, street children and disabled children whilst building awareness and fundraising through community events. He organises reduced Marc Hope of Team Hebron African Children Projects and Samaritan Rehabilitation Centre projects.

Official Charity Registration
2015

Official Charity Registration

Heartbeat Africa officially registers as a charity in England and Wales, charity no. 1164789, enabling structured fundraising and greater accountability — including appointment of trustees, making the charity fully structured and accountable and able to make a long-lasting impact.

New Focus & Expansion
2019

New Focus & Expansion

Heartbeat Africa begins to include regular trips to extreme areas affected by extreme poverty and hunger. Partnerships with Transmission Communities Initiative (TCI) providing nutritious porridge to over 5,000 children weekly in Turkana, Kenya and addition of families in Malawi.

2004–2025

Years of Impact

Over £400,000 supporting the educational needs of hundreds of orphaned and vulnerable children throughout Kenya and Malawi through its holistic focus. Through this holistic vision and our great partnerships we have built some relationships with families, governments and other society and have empowered them across the region.

2025 — Today

Growing Together

Heartbeat Africa continues its expanding impact, now reaching more communities across East Africa. Our team of dedicated trustees and volunteers continue growing our partnerships and deepening our impact to bring lasting hope and transformation to those who need it most.

Ready to Make a Difference?

Join us in bringing hope, dignity and transformation to East Africa.