The Homestead is located on ten acres owned by Africa Heartwood Project in Royesville’s Sand Beach Community, Liberia. The land includes a clean sand beach and access to the Po River, a large sand area suitable for building structures, a wetland suitable for vegetable gardening, and a highland for larger scale agricultural and livestock production.The first 800′ from the road to the wetland is the location of the Heartwood Orphan Support campus. (Click image to enlarge) Heartwood Orphan Home Site Plan: The campus is laid out with providing the best possible care for children in mind, creating small neighborhoods and family-like units where children, staff, and volunteers live in common. Mini-homes (O1-O4) will house up to 10 children with a matron. Staff homes (S1-S4) can be either self-contained or include a wing for orphan children. Volunteer housing (VF1-VF2, VS1-VS2) for students as well as expatriate families, and director housing (D1-D2), is designed to be simple yet comfortable. Each neighborhood will share a common hygiene facility (H1-H5)with composting toilets, showers, and laundry and washing stations. The Community Center (C1-C6) will house offices, a health clinic, computer lab, kitchen and pantry, and a large multi-purpose hall. The Water System (W) is a hand-dug well with hand pump and solar-powered submersible pump with storage tower and gravity distribution lines. Throughout the campus there will be gardens, chicken coops, grey water bioswales, and ornamental vegetation among meandering walkways the create privacy as well as aesthetic appeal (AG, LS, CI, DI, RE, T1), and a natural vegetation perimeter to secure the border. Buildings are designed and oriented for maximum natural ventilation and lighting, and to limit exposure to sun and rain.

Construction Sponsorship and Fundraising: We invite donations of any amount to help fund the building of the Heartwood Orphan Home campus. We particularly encourage communities, businesses, and foundations to sponsor complete structures, which will be dedicated as a legacy to the donor.

Sustainabilty is Built Into the Plan
The Homestead is an off-grid community that incorporates principles of sustainability, self-reliance, and permaculture: Human waste and grey water will be managed and recycled on-site; sewing, soap making, and baking programs will provide clothing and hygiene items; most food will be grown on the land or harvested from the ocean and the river; water will come from solar powered wells with gravity distribution; solar power will provide for most energy needs; all staff, children, and volunteers will live in common within the community, taking all meals together, sharing chores, and caring for gardens and animals and each other.