Elise Elsing bred and born in Germany immigrated to South Africa 34 years ago in September 1975. Qualified originally as a land surveyor but later turned to civil engineering and building. Some of the companies worked for include the following: Building of Steenbrass Hydro Electric Scheme; (1977 first ever site agent of a major civil engineering company), Stettynskloof Dam in Worchester 1979 (Site Agent) Construction of the portal entrance of Du Toits Kloof Tunnel 1980 (Site Agent). In 1980 she met her late husband Walter, a German Architect and went with him to Southern Sudan for 2 years to build hospitals and primary health care units for the poor. 1983 they returned to South Africa, Gordon’s Bay and started their own construction company. In 1986, she started as a Building controller and Project Manager at the building of the new Cape Technikon and was involved there until her early retirement in 1995. Ever since she lost her husband due to a heart attack in 1993, she has devoted her time and energy on volunteer basis to build crèches and community centres in Khayelitsha. Her mother founded a NGO in Germany, in 1989 and aged 87 she still raises funds so that Elise can build her 12th project in Khayelitsha.