It takes a village to restore a child
LIV Village provides a fresh start for KZN children. Founder Tich Smith tells Vivian Attwood about his ‘love revolution’
village came to him in a dream following his rehabilitation.
A successful entrepreneur, he got government and business leaders to buy into the vision and set up the operation on 33 hectares of land he bought outside Verulam.
The village atmosphere is brought into being through clusters of eight homes around a central recreational space, with children of all races living as brothers and sisters, cared for by a mother.
Smith is an emotional man. As he guides us around the village, his eyes frequently fill with tears as he speaks about the children – how far they have come, his gratitude for the opportunity to make a difference, and the enormous support the project enjoys from well-wishers worldwide.
Recent developments at the village include a multi-purpose centre – designed, as are the other buildings on site, to use natural air flow for temperature regulation. It is used for indoor sport, church services and functions.
Services offered by the LIV clinic now include dentistry, occupational therapy and psychology. There’s also a shop that sells merchandise, including homeware, jewellery and clothing.
As we wander around, some children are being coached at tennis, others are returning from the school on the property and heading home for an afternoon snack.
The boys and girls glow with health, and love and respect are evident when they chat to Smith in passing.
A group of little boys play an impromptu game of “catch” with the village’s founder around a tree that has developed a knot at its centre.
It’s hardly surprising that the imperfection in the trunk is shaped like a heart.
But dreams remain dreams without hard work. Running a village for small people comes with a big price tag. Although the government has lent support since its inception, most of the daily running costs are met by a series of business ventures, on the property and at sites in KwaZulu-Natal and elsewhere in the country.
“We have an amazing relationship with the government. Former premier Dr Zweli Mkhize and his wife, May, were particularly supportive,” said Smith.
“To bring about change for our children, and ultimately change the future of our country, we need to stand with the government and fill in the gaps they can’t.
“It has been the toughest five years of my life. I have never been busier, never had more problems to resolve, and there is simply no place on Earth I would rather be.
“We know that the future of LIV lies in becoming self-sustaining, and we are well on the way to that goal.
“Next week we are launching a healthcare product in Dischem, made from the Moringa Tree, and we’re about to start producing a new clothing line. That’s in addition to the LIV eggs we produce and market through the Food Lovers Market chain, and the cut flowers we supply to Woolworths through a distribution company,” he said.
“But I have an even bigger dream I’d like to share with you,” he says, smiling.
“I dream that South Africa will become known as the country that looks after its children. When our children come home to us for the first time, I see the damage inflicted on them and I weep. And then I see them restored. Our children will build the future with the confidence that it will be good.”