Every New Beginning Starts with Trust
Every New Beginning Starts with Trust
Bringing a new orphanage into the Goulet Cares Project family is always filled with both excitement and responsibility.
There is excitement because we have the privilege of working alongside our trusted friends at Marupa Safaris, who serve as our eyes and ears on the ground in South Africa. But there is also a healthy sense of nervousness. Every decision we make carries the trust of our donors, and we never take that responsibility lightly.
Before we commit to supporting a new orphanage, we carefully walk through an approval process designed to ensure that every donation reaches children who truly need it.
Recently, Pieter Viviers of Marupa Safaris, along with Wayde and Jen S., took time out of their own travels to visit a children's home in Kimberley, South Africa. They toured the grounds, met with the staff, learned about the children's daily lives, and, most importantly, delivered gifts that brought smiles to many young faces.
What the children didn't know was that this visit was only the beginning. More help was already on its way.
Following their visit, Wayde, Pieter, and Jen shared everything they had learned with the Goulet Cares Project team. Together, we reviewed the orphanage's needs, discussed its long-term goals, and began our approval process. Because we are entrusted with the generosity of our donors, every partnership requires accountability, transparency, and proper documentation. These steps help ensure that every dollar given creates meaningful and lasting change.
Once the initial stages were complete, it was time to send our very first donation.
The children needed new school backpacks. In South Africa, backpacks are commonly referred to as "luggage," which initially left us smiling and wondering why children would need luggage for school. We quickly learned it was simply a different term for the same everyday item.
After seeing photos of the worn-out bags many of the children carried, the decision was easy. Together with our generous supporters, we provided 20 brand-new backpacks.
To many of us, a backpack is an ordinary purchase. But to a child who has carried worn, torn, or inadequate school supplies, a new backpack represents something much greater. It says, "You matter. You are seen. Someone believes in your future."
This is why we do what we do. One relationship. One child. One act of kindness at a time.
