Tich is a well-known local humanitarian who has a heart for the children and people of South Africa and has dedicated his life to them. He is the founder of LIV Village, a non-profit organisation committed to uplifting the lives of orphans and vulnerable children in South Africa.
Having grown up in Jo’burg, Tich went on to join the airforce and then studied at the University of KZN in Pietermaritzburg. He has had an eventful past that mostly revolved around sports. He was sports mad at school and played SA schools cricket. He also played rugby for The Sharks at age 19 and played cricket for KZN and South Africa. He even played cricket in England for two years.
Tich has not always had it easy and he overcame an alcohol and drug addiction when he became a Christian at the age of 35. He worked hard for eight years to pay off gambling debts. He was selling insurance when he met his wife, Joan, and they were married within a year.
Their work in Amaoti informal settlement began in 2001 when Joan started feeding starving children under the banner of Lungisani Indlela Trust and it grew from there. In 1997 Tich was driving home from a game park and he had a vision that would change the course of his life. “God told me I must build a village for children and create jobs for the community, so that government will come and see how it works,” recalled Tich.
Tich was also running a brokerage business and in 2007 he felt prompted to hand over the business to his son and go full time into non-profit work. “Although it was tough to let go, the rewards have been great,” he said.
In 2009 Tich knew the time for the village of his vision had come, and they bought a farm in Cottonlands, Verulam. This was the beginning of LIV Village. “At the time there was a major crime problem in the community, and we felt God tell us to build the church first. Between business and government, we raised enough money to start building.”
LIV Village now has 96 homes, currently housing 29 mothers and 150 children. Not all of the homes are occupied yet, but by the end of this year they hope to house 69 mothers and 400 to 500 children.
The village has a school, a clinic, a supermarket, teachers’ homes and volunteers’ quarters, including a clinic for the neighbouring community.
“The community plays a big part. We have started LIV Business, which includes factories and businesses to create jobs for the community and bring in money for the village.” The businesses are 100 per cent owned by the village. They have already bought the farm next door and plan to extend.
“I truly believe we can put a roof over every child in South Africa, but only with God. If we don’t have Jesus in the centre, we’re wasting our time,” he said. “We can show the world there is a different way.”
“To see broken children being restored, this has been the greatest thing in my life,” said Tich with emotion.
