Carol Cole and David Barlow

New townhouse residents

In November 2022, David and Carol joined our community, moving to us all the way from Northern California. We are so very fortunate to have David and Carol with us, as they bring decades of Camphill experience.

Carol was born in California and moved to many places both in the United States and abroad. She worked to establish schools for young children and their mothers in a variety of settings. Carol discovered the Waldorf Schools while searching for the best way to educate. Likewise, she found Camphill while investigating the best way to create a safe vessel for mothers and children. Carol moved to South Africa right after Nelson Mandela became president. There, she launched a kindergarten that included children of color from the township; this was very trailblazing inclusive work.

David was born in London and moved to South Africa in his twenties. He has been in Camphill since 1976 when he joined as one of the founding members of Hermanus, the farm community in South Africa. He also lived in The Cresset and Camphill Village West Coast, spending 7 years in each setting.

David and Carol met at the Philadelphia Train Station and then moved to San Francisco where they began working at the Raphael Children’s Shelter. They worked at the shelter while launching The Sophia Project in 1998. The mission of the Sophia Project was to protect the light within each child and protect the children and mothers from recurring homelessness. The Sophia Project closed in 2015, yet David and Carol continued to work informally with the families until last year. The Sophia Project was groundbreaking work within the Camphill Movement and was a huge endeavor for this couple. They fundraised every penny for it, and they gained recognition for this moving project. The City of Oakland gave them an award for social renewal.

It was in a Camphill Association gathering where David first heard of Camphill Ghent and immediately expressed an interest. David and Carol were part of the initial conversations and wished to join immediately after it was opened. The timing was not compatible with their other responsibilities, so it was only last year that it became possible. With their wealth of experience in Camphill and in social services, we are so fortunate to have David and Carol join our community! Welcome to you both!