“I believe that if business, government and the church work together, we can put a roof over every orphan and vulnerable child’s head, give them a mother who will love them, feed and educate them to the glory of God, and this nation will be changed forever.”
– Tich Smith –
LIV Founder
WHY WE EXIST
LIV exists to Glorify God by serving the vulnerable children of our nation.
There are millions of children at risk in South Africa. LIV focuses on the solution, and we do this by bringing hope and a future to the most vulnerable.
We believe that if these children are equipped with essential moral values and life skills, they will grow up to be a generation they will influence positive change within our country, Africa and the world. Together we can!
OUR FOUNDERS
Tich was a South African sports star who lost it all to alcohol. Joan had recently lost her husband. Their lives were at rock bottom when grace showed up and inspired these two middle-class South Africans to move past the racial prejudices of the Apartheid era and launch a ministry together.
In 2008, Tich and Joan felt the call of God to start LIV (Lungisisa Indlela Village), meaning “The Right Way”, which would become an urgently needed long term foster care facility for orphaned and vulnerable children. They visited the Watoto villages in Uganda where they saw 19 years of successfully transforming broken lives. The vision was the same. They brought the model back to KwaZulu Natal.
OUR STORY
The story of LIV started in 1997 when a vision was birthed 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.
THE LIV TIMELINE
READ TICH & JOAN’S STORY
Read Tich and Joan Smith’s inspiring story of hope and healing among the most vulnerable of society. When Grace Showed Up tells the story of LIV and the amazing provision, kindness, and mercy God has shown along the way.
