About us

Ellen was born in Amsterdam but raised inTokyo, Japan and Oxford, UK and currently divides her time between the Cape Town office, The Netherlands and New York city.   She holds a degree in communication management and has a background in marketing and sales.
Ellen started House o Orange in 2000 and is sole owner.
She is married and has 3 grown children and raised her children to be fully bilingual with the help of au pairs. Apart from being with her family, Ellen likes to foster puppies and enjoys donating time and money to South African animal rescue organisations, travelling, reading and watching movies and series.
Ellen speaks Dutch and English fluently, some French and very basic Japanese.
She can be reached at ellen@house-o-orange.nl

Candice was born in Johannesburg, South Africa but grew up in Cape Town, South Africa, about 25 minutes from our offices in Melkbosstrand. She speaks fluent English, has a good knowledge of Afrikaans and is trying to learn Spanish and Dutch in her free-time.

Candice has been with House-o-Orange since March 2020, working hand in hand with the rest of the South African team to make sure that all the candidates profiles are well-organized, completed and presentable to our wonderful families. In March 2022, Candice emigrated to Den Haag, the Netherlands and now oversees the day to day running of the Dutch office. She works closely with our host families, making sure that they find the perfect Au Pairs for their family. Candice spent nearly 10 years working as an Au pair and nanny in South Africa, the United States and the United Kingdom.

Candice became a mom to a beautiful little girl in 2017 and spends her weekends exploring the city around her and devoting her time to her daughter. She loves going for bike rides, picnics and finding new things to do with her family. She loves travelling and enjoys learning about different cultures.

Candice can be reached at:
candice@house-o-orange.nl