Overview

Like all great stories, our tale is one rooted in love. The deep love and compassion that Norwegian actress, Mari Maurstad, has for children. It all started in December 2004. Mari, while on safari in South Africa, met Toby Selander, a Swedish photo journalist, and Ragnhild Button, the honorary Norwegian consul in Durban and tour operator. While travelling from Durban, the group visited a rural soup kitchen just outside Eshowe in KwaZulu-Natal. They met a local woman, the late Aurelia Mhlongo, who had been using her small monthly pension to feed a group of hungry children. Moved by their plight and touched by Aurelia’s selflessness, Mari was inspired to make an even bigger difference, and so Zulufadder was born. What started as a soup kitchen is now a multifaceted organisation that helps disadvantaged children and their families outside Eshowe. We support our children by provide food, education, clothing, medical treatment and other support. All our children are disadvantaged in some way, either by the loss of one or more parents or family members, often through HIV and AIDS, or simply through unfortunate family circumstances. Through Zulufadder initiatives, we develop children and families to be strong and healthy and to believe in their own potential. Our wish is that the children grow up and create a better life for themselves and those around them. Zulufadder operates a pre-primary, primary and high school (www.gratton.co.za), and assists children who attend rural schools and encourages self-reliance through skills training and self-help programmes. Since 2010, Gratton School has been developed from a small primary school with 30 learners, to a large educational institution offering tuition and boarding from pre-school to grade 12 (matriculation). In 2020 Gratton has 450 learners and a staff of 45.