Grantee Spotlight: Interview with David Ansara from the Free Market Foundation 

January 29, 2026

In a recent interview with Rising Tide Foundation, David Ansara, CEO of the Free Market Foundation (FMF), discussed the transformative Khaya Lam (My Home) project, an initiative focused on securing property rights for South Africans.

For generations, black South Africans were systematically denied property ownership. Even after the end of Apartheid, an estimated million people remain in a legal “gray zone,” living in homes without title deeds. These families possess “dead capital”, assets that cannot be leveraged for loans, officially bequeathed to heirs, or protected from seizure.

Recognizing that true liberty requires property rights, the FMF launched Khaya Lam to formalize ownership. The goal is simple but profound: turn tenants into homeowners by facilitating the transfer of official title deeds from municipalities to the rightful residents.

With support from the Rising Tide Foundation, the project has achieved massive scalability. To date, the initiative has successfully facilitated the transfer of over 21,000 title deeds to families, unlocking billions of Rands in capital and securing the future for tens of thousands.

The impact goes far beyond economics. Ansara describes the emotional weight of the ceremonies, where elderly beneficiaries often weep with relief. “Their answer is always: ‘Now I can die in peace knowing that my children will have a place, a home of their own,'” he recalls.

By securing property rights for the most vulnerable, the FMF is demonstrating that liberty and the rule of law are powerful tools for poverty alleviation. With legal ownership, beneficiaries can use their property as collateral to secure loans, start businesses, and participate in the formal economy, thereby maximizing human agency and flourishing.

To learn more about the Free Market Foundation and the Khaya Lam project, watch the full interview: