Introducing the Project
“Every day, innocent children endure abuse, neglect, poverty, and unstable home environments – experiences that leave lasting marks. These early wounds often show up as behavioural struggles or academic challenges. Without support, the weight of trauma can grow heavier over time, affecting mental health and limiting a child’s ability to thrive in school and in life.”
The story of LIV started in 1997 when a vision was born in the heart of Tich Smith, to build a village for orphaned and vulnerable children where they will have a home with a mother who loves them, food to eat, a school to educate them and where they will come to know God as their Father in heaven. Tich also dreamed of creating jobs for individuals in surrounding communities so that they can earn an income and look after their families.
Tich, along with his wife Joan, has relentlessly been pursuing this dream and LIV is now an established organisation looking after the most vulnerable of our society. With the building of the first village in 2011, the vision became reality and the model proves to be sustainable as long as government, churches and corporates work together. Today LIV has a national footprint with villages and projects in Durban, Gauteng, Western Cape, and Eastern Cape.
Our connection with LIV came through a benefactor of theirs and an old and dear friend of mine (younger than me, actually, but the friendship is decades old) who, when faced by an extreme life-challenge coined a beautiful phrase that guides me and many others, “allow grief to refine me not define me”.
How Can we help as XirCammini?
As XirCammini, we are asking whether there is /are any leader/s among its members, willing to rise to the plate and lead this project? We can only embark on this journey and support it if someone is willing to take over the reins of this project.
What does it entail?
Here are a few ideas:
- A 2-week visit to the Cape, South Africa, with 1 week spent helping the LIV village and 1 week of hiking and outdoor adventure. During our recreational week we can visit a wildlife reserve, mountains and forests of outstanding beauty, beaches and also the wine trail.
- How can we help during that 1 week in the LIV village?:
- Professional or Specialist Skills: If there are doctors, nurses, dentists and other medical practitioners among us, then help in the clinics would be greatly appreciated. If there are engineers among us, there are also always projects in the village they can contribute to.
- General assistance/muscle-power and creativity to renovate these areas:
- The library needs more shelves and more books in addition to renovation
- The school hall
- The kids’ jungle gym and play area.
- If we manage to fill and finance a container for them, LIV would be grateful for:
- Clothing
- Shoes
- Underwear
- Over-the-counter medicines
- Fridges and washing machines (even 2nd hand)
- Tools for the maintenance teams
Do we have a leader?
For this project to be realised, it would need a leader and project team that is separate from the XirCammini leadership/admin team. It has to be a person or close-knit team that possesses the right acumen, leadership and is/are also believers in divine providence.
XirCammini does not currently have the time or bandwidth to undertake this endeavour but is willing to support the endeavour if a leader steps forward.
Much as we would like to undertake this in 2026, we have not even set a date for this event before we identify a leader to take this forward.
If you believe you have it in you and would like to contribute to this worthy cause, please follow this link for more information or to register: