The Company We Keep: The Heartfelt Project

The Company We Keep is a column on the CN&CO blog that profiles some of the most interesting people in our networks. Here we share the details of the lives of people we know, showcasing the extraordinary diversity of our society and proving that people truly are at the heart of everything we do.

This blog was written by Blake Dyason.

In September 2023 I joined the Rim of Africa, South Africa’s longest multiway hike, as a guide for Traverse 1, an eight-day hike across the Cederberg. The Rim of Africa is made up of nine traverses starting in Northern Cederberg and ending in the Outeniqua Mountains close to George.

It was on this hike that I met some amazing people, but I had an instant connection with Jo-Anne Hay, who shares a passion for social and environmental causes. Jo-Anne runs a consulting business called Human Nature Consulting. Their purpose is to grow and support partnerships between private entities, NPOs, co-operatives, public entities and individuals in order to establish sustainable impacts in South Africa and beyond.

Over the eight days of hiking – in mostly cold and rainy weather – Jo-Anne shared stories of the incredible work she has been involved in. They all sounded really exciting, but it was the Heartfelt Project that stood out for me.

A few weeks after the hike, I pulled into a parking bay in front of my flat in Hout Bay and notice this lady staring at me through the window. It was Jo-Anne! I couldn’t believe it. She was down in Cape Town from Gauteng for work and just happened to park next to me. So I cleared the rest of my afternoon for a coffee and catchup. Little did I know that this would be the start of an exciting partnership between CN&CO and The Heartfelt Project. 

I got to meet Juliet Hadley, the co-founder of The Heartfelt Project who had recently moved to Cape Town. It is strange how the world works and sometimes things just fall into place. 

Juliet has a beautiful and truly South African story that lead to The Heartfelt Project. 

Juliet grew up in South Africa, and like many other families they had a domestic worker, Martha. But Martha was more than an employee, she was part of the family, Martha’s children grew up with Juliet and her siblings. 

After school Juliet had moved to the UK, when she heard that Martha’s son, the kindest person, had been falsely accused of murder and put in prison. In the apartheid system, there was very little Martha could do to prove her son’s innocence and get him released. Juliet and her family did what they could by supporting financially and getting legal support, but sadly Martha’s son passed away from starvation in prison just before the legal team could get him released. 

While Martha was doing everything she could to earn extra money to free her son, Juliet came up with the idea of stitching heart-shaped keyrings out of felt. Juliet posted a pattern and told Martha to find offcuts and old felt and stitch these patterns. It wasn’t long before Juliet received a parcel in the UK filled with stitched felt hearts. She started selling them to her friends in the UK and slowly the momentum picked up. Martha started employing her neighbours and friends to help her stitch and today, 16 years later, The Heartfelt Project has sold hundreds of thousands of stitched felt products and supported many families. 

Martha has subsequently handed The Heartfelt Project over to her daughter, Charlene, who is just as smart and an incredible leader within her community. 2024 is an exciting year of growth for Charlene and her team as they sign up with Amazon. 

The Heartfelt Project story is an inspiring South African story that many of us can relate to. I am so excited for CN&CO to partner with The Heartfelt Project to share these stories. 

Go give them a follow on Facebook and Instagram. Or even better, check out their awesome felt products, which make stunning gifts for any occasion.