LIV Village

What LIV Village does

LIV Village is a South African faith-based non-profit organization (registered as LIV Central NPC, NPO 271-548, PBO 930075158) that delivers holistic residential and community-based care for orphaned and vulnerable children. Founded in 1997 by Tich and Joan Smith and headquartered in Durban, LIV operates six village locations across KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, Gauteng, and Eastern Cape (Durban flagship, Cape Town, Lanseria, Langkloof, Eastern Cape/Lukhanyiso, and Thokomala with 11 community foster homes), supplemented by early childhood development centres, an on-site school, tertiary training facilities, youth programmes (One27, LIV4Change, LIV2Run), and social enterprises (LIV Store & Cafe, LIV Business, LIV Training). Children are referred primarily through the Department of Social Development and supported under the Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) framework, a trauma-informed methodology emphasizing empowering, connecting, and correcting principles.

The care delivery is fundamentally human-intensive rather than technology-driven; digital infrastructure is limited to a WordPress/WooCommerce website with Elementor, Google Analytics, and Wordfence security, with no native mobile application, public API, or AI/ML components. Funding flows through four channels: individual and corporate donations (including international chapters in Canada, Netherlands, UK, and USA), recurring corporate sponsorship and in-kind contributions (e.g., Woolworths, Crown National), fundraising events, and modest social-enterprise revenue. Partnerships span food donation chains, professional services (culinary training, town planning, architecture), and faith-aligned organizations (City Hope Church, Legacy One, Word of Life), reflecting a community-led go-to-market anchored in donor stewardship rather than commercial sales.

Name

LIV Village

Legal name

LIV Central NPC

Website

https://liv-village.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

LIV Village is a South African faith-based non-profit delivering holistic residential and community-based care to orphaned and vulnerable children across six villages and 11 foster homes, funded primarily through diversified donations, corporate partnerships, social enterprises, and international giving chapters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Orphan and Vulnerable Children Care

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

Keywords

• Orphan care services
• Residential child care
• Foster care programs
• Early childhood development
• Community social services

Headquarters

HQ city

Durban

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual and corporate donors contribute financially to support the children and operational costs of the villages. International giving chapters exist for Canada, Netherlands, UK, and USA donors.
2. Social Enterprise Revenue: LIV Business creates jobs and generates sustainability through commercial enterprises. The organization operates a store, cafe, training programs, and agricultural activities.
3. Fundraising Events: Various fundraising events including donor appreciation events, corporate challenges (padel fundraiser), and community fundraising activities.
4. Corporate Sponsorships and Partnerships: Corporate partners provide financial support, in-kind donations (food, toiletries, equipment), and employee volunteering programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

LIV Village provides holistic residential care and family-based support for orphaned and vulnerable children in South Africa. The organization operates six village locations across the country offering full lifecycle support including rescue, restoration, education from early childhood development through tertiary training, and transition to independent adulthood. Services are delivered free of charge and supplemented by social enterprises (LIV Business, LIV Store & Cafe) that create sustainability and community employment.

Product overview

LIV Village is a charitable organization offering a portfolio of programmes for orphaned and vulnerable children across South Africa. The core offering consists of village-based residential care (LIV Durban as flagship, LIV Cape Town, LIV Lanseria, LIV Langkloof, LIV Eastern Cape/Lukhanyiso, and LIV Thokomala with 11 foster homes). These are supported by social enterprises including LIV Business for community jobs, the LIV STORE & CAFE retail operation, LIV Training for skills development, and youth programmes such as One27 and LIV4Change. The villages provide family-based care, education (from ECD to tertiary), and holistic support services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• El Roi Baby Home: Baby home for vulnerable infants, currently undergoing re-registration process with DSD.
• One27
• LIV4Change
• LIV Business
• LIV2Run
• LIV STORE & CAFE
• LIV Training
• Refilwe Preschool
• Ithuteng Afterschool Programme
• LIV Families
• LIV School
• LIV Culinary Kitchen

Products and services

• LIV Durban Flagship residential village providing family-based care for orphaned and vulnerable children, with onsite school, tertiary training facilities, and social enterprise operations. Children are referred by Department of Social Development and receive holistic care, education, and life skills support.
• LIV Cape Town Operates an Early Childhood Development (ECD) Centre in Fisantekraal providing access to high-quality education and holistic care for vulnerable children, with future plans including social enterprises for skills training.
• LIV Lanseria

Quantifiable outcome

• Children impacted through Education across South Africa
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• WoolworthscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 March 2024Woolworths partnered with LIV Village Lanseria to donate food and toiletries on an ongoing basis. Started receiving donations in March 2024 with initial donation of one truck, one trailer, and one bakkie load full - able to serve children, programs, staff, and community.
• Crown NationalcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 November 2022Crown National partnered with LIV Durban's Culinary Kitchen for cooking demonstrations, product donations including Six Gun Grill spices, So Good jelly, and Beef & Mutton Chief's Choice Soya Mince. The partnership includes EE committee engagement and ongoing cooking education for foster mothers.
• Slash (Abu Dhabi)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate volunteer team from Slash transformed the ECD playground with mud kitchen, interactive water play area, LIV grocery store, fresh plantings, and shaded outdoor zone. Also provided marketing training, storytelling education, photography, and video production.
• City Hope ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosts annual City Youth Conference for LIV teens with Spirit-filled and loving Youth Ministry Team. Provides relevant conference experiences focused on faith development.
• ColabcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerColab has sponsored student tickets and petrol costs for youth conferences for many years, enabling LIV teens to attend spiritual development events.
• Word of LifesupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerProvided minibus and volunteer drivers when LIV's transportation was unavailable, enabling teens to attend youth conference.
• Legacy OnecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCanadian creative arts ministry team conducted workshops in spoken word poetry, music production, songwriting, and dancing for LIV youth. Focused on kingdom-focused, gospel-centred ministry to cultivate faith expression through creative arts.
• CITEPLAN (Townplanners)supportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTown planning firm engaged for LIV Lukhanyiso village development, handling preparation work and site planning.
• The Workplace Agency (Architects)supportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerArchitectural firm created detailed site plan and artistic impression for proposed LIV Lukhanyiso Village master plan.
• Harties Boat CompanysupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerProvided discounted boat cruise on Hartebeespoort Dam for donor appreciation event, enabling LIV Lanseria to thank donors for their generous support.
• Department of Social DevelopmentcoreOthersGovernment department that refers orphaned and vulnerable children to LIV and oversees child protection services. LIV works with DSD for registrations, compliance, and statutory requirements.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cotlands: South African non-profit focused on Early Childhood Development and care of vulnerable children, including community-based and residential programmes. Comparable beneficiary base and ECD-to-schooling continuum.
• Bethany Christian Services: Faith-based global child welfare organisation delivering foster care, family services, and residential programmes. Mirrors LIV's faith-based, trauma-informed care model for vulnerable children.
• SOS Children's Villages International: Global federation running family-based villages for orphaned and abandoned children in 130+ countries, using a near-identical residential-village + community integration model to LIV Village. The closest direct functional peer.

Broad incumbents

• Save the Children: Global child rights and welfare organisation delivering education, health, and protection programmes in South Africa and across the region. Larger-scale incumbent with overlapping beneficiary focus on vulnerable children.
• BADISA: Established South African social services NPO delivering child and family welfare across multiple provinces. Comparable footprint in South Africa but with a broader welfare mandate beyond orphan residential care.
• Child Welfare South Africa: National coordinating body for child welfare organisations in South Africa, focused on protection, foster care, and community services. Wider regulatory and advocacy remit than LIV's direct service model.
• World Vision: Large international NGO running child-focused community development, sponsorship, and child protection programmes in nearly 100 countries, including South Africa. Overlaps with LIV on beneficiary group but operates at significantly larger scale.
• Compassion International: Global child sponsorship organisation serving millions of children through church-linked programmes. Larger and broader in reach, but addresses an overlapping population of vulnerable children via faith-based channels.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@livvillage2009
• Facebookfacebook.com/livvillagecanada
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/liv-village
• Instagraminstagram.com/explore/tags/livvillage
• Xx.com/LIV_Village

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about LIV Village