At the height of South Africa’s AIDS crisis in the 1990s, Ryan and Gerda Audagnotti faced a call that changed everything. “We knew we couldn’t just stand by,” they share. “There were children in hospital wards with no one.” They licensed their Johannesburg home and welcomed five toddlers into a space filled with love and structure.
That one home began a movement.
A Family Model That Works
Acres of Love does not run orphanages. “We believe every child deserves a family,” explain the founders. “That’s why we create permanent homes with trained house moms in real neighborhoods.” Each child receives an Individualized Development Plan and early intervention therapies. “We tailor education, therapy, and medical care to each child. We ask, ‘What would we do for our own child?’ and then we do it. While a few of our children are reunified with extended family or adopted, we’re committed to raising our children to adulthood. This is a slow and steady, long-term work.”
The nonprofit now operates 40 family homes across five regions in South Africa, supported by a team of 180 staff members. Each home welcomes up to six children, many living with HIV, autism, cerebral palsy, or rare genetic conditions. “We refuse to see disabilities as limitations,” the team says. “We see possibility and potential.”
A Global Family
The mission stretches far beyond South Africa’s borders. In Orange County, California, donor families have formed tight-knit emissary groups that sustain homes and build long-term relationships. “Some have been with us for 18 years,” notes the team. “They’ve become aunts, uncles, and grandparents to our children.”
One group funds a single home. Another unites a circle of friends to support multiple families. “We’re proud of the consistency. This isn’t charity. It’s commitment.”
Supporters can follow along on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and X, but the heart of the work remains offline, quiet, and consistent.
One Story, Many Echoes
Sindisiwe’s story stands as a living example of the model’s full circle. Found alone after her mother’s death, she came to Acres of Love in 2001. “I never would have guessed I would have a beautiful family and people who would love and care for me,” she says.
Sindisiwe now works as a house mom. “I cry happy tears when these lovely children call me Mommy. I was once a child at Acres of Love, and now I’m their mom.”
Meeting a Growing Crisis
South Africa still faces a crisis. “There are up to 5 million orphaned children in South Africa,” the team shares. “And over 60% of the population lives in multidimensional poverty.” Local government agencies have many struggles, so more and more children arrive at Acres of Love in urgent need of care.
“The need is massive. But we’re ready.”
The Ethic of Dignity
Unlike many global charities, Acres of Love does not post images of its children online. The team explains why: “Once a child comes into our care, they are no longer an orphan. They are a son or daughter. And we will protect their dignity.”
With each child welcomed into a real home and a loving family, Acres of Love continues to prove that the best care is rooted in relationship, not routine.
