About Starfish Greathearts Foundation

Starfish is a charity that supports children in Southern Africa who have been orphaned or made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS.

By 2010 an estimated 2.3 million children will be orphaned as a result of AIDS in South Africa alone; thousands of others will be in vulnerable situations as their family units disintegrate.

However, more than 70% of these children will not have HIV. They will have the potential to grow up and contribute to South African society. If these orphaned and vulnerable children are not cared for, nurtured and educated, they will become a lost generation.  Starfish is currently reaching out to over 22,000 children across eight of the nine provinces in South Africa… but this is just the tip of the iceberg.

The Starfish mission is to mobilise individuals to use their time, talents and resources to bring life, hope and opportunity to children orphaned or made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS in South Africa.  Instead of being overwhelmed by the magnitude of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, Starfish believes in helping each child, one child at a time.

We truly believe that anyone, anywhere can make a difference!

Our history

Starfish was founded in April 2001 by a group of friends living and working in London, England.  They were concerned about the unfolding tragedy of children orphaned or affected by the HIV / Aids pandemic in South Africa. 

What began as a conversation in a London coffee house has since grown into a registered charity that inspires thousands of people all over the world, and reaches out to help thousands of children orphaned or affected by HIV / Aids in South Africa. 

The Starfish network of supporters covers more than 20 countries (and growing!) and it presently has offices and operations in England, South Africa, Australia and the USA. 

The charity’s annual fundraising event – the Thousand Dinners of Hope, the weekend in April closest to South Africa’s Freedom Day (27 April) – is an event which inspires people all over the world to host dinners in their own homes and raise awareness and funds for Starfish. Truly – anyone, anywhere can ‘pick up a starfish’ and make a difference.