Elisabeth-Ann Gimber

Mark Morgenstern

Robert E. Newton

Two continents. Two families. One vision. ‘STONE BY STONE’ is the amazing story of the Sawadogo family in Burkina Faso, Africa and the Makofskys in North America who, since 2003, have worked together to build the Paradise Orphanage and Elementary School, which has been home to more than 120 children in Kaya, Burkina Faso, West Africa, with the opening of a new high school in 2023 and the plans to build a future university and vocational school are underway. What makes this story so compelling is that it tells of how two families with the support of their community and their friends, armed with perseverance and determination, took a leap of faith together and made the decision to begin building the orphanage, without meeting each other for years and without government help. Their journey transcends borders and faiths.

Two continents. Two families. One vision.

‘STONE BY STONE’ is the amazing story of the Sawadogo family in Burkina Faso, Africa and the Makofskys in North America who, since 2003, have worked together to build the Paradise Orphanage and Elementary School, which has been  home to more than 120 children in Kaya, Burkina Faso, West Africa, with the opening of a new high school in 2023 and the plans to build a future university and vocational school are underway. 

What makes this story so compelling is that it tells of how two families with the support of their community and their friends, armed with perseverance and determination, took a leap of faith together and made the decision to begin building the orphanage, without meeting each other for years and without government help.

Their journey transcends borders and faiths. 



Stone by Stone: Building the Paradise Orphanage