Conservation Work or Travelling? Go and LIV this summer

Deep in the heart of South Africa lies the beautiful community that is the LIV village. Volunteer, Samuel Hepper, talks faith, compassion and miracles as we dig into this 6 month adventure.

Conservation Work or Travelling? Go and LIV this summer

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“Rescue a child, Restore a life, Raise a leader and Release a star.” - LIV motto

Team LIV 2016 - Photo by LIV village

Children preparing for a dance competition - Photo by Samuel Hepper

In the year 1997, a man named Tich Smith received a vision. This vision encompassed a man building a village on top of a hill. The

village housed vulnerable and orphan children that without humanitarian aid, would cease to live. Tich had received this message from God and vowed to build this village to help these children. Miraculously, God opened the door to Government, so that Tich was able to pitch his idea to the South African minister of health. The minister replied with “I have just got back from Rwanda, I have seen Babies feeding off the Breasts of dead

mothers, and that is where we are heading if we don’t do something”. Tich was granted six million pounds, and the rest was history. God had blessed the LIV village. Samuel told this story as if he had told it a thousand times, brimming with faith and overwhelmed with joy. Samuel Hepper, is a volunteer at LIV’s community village based in the Southern province, in a poverty-stricken neighbourhood, known as Cottonlands. He and his friends are the “pioneers of the gap year programme” which will now continue to run each year from January to June. Samuel explained that “The LIV village finished construction and opened six years ago. Currently the village is home to 170 children.

Samuel addressing the children of LIV village - photo by LIV village

However, our ambition is to one day take in up to 1000 children.” In South Africa, there are currently 3.7 million orphan children “150,000 are believed to living in child-headed houses” Samuel added. LIV understand that saving 1000 children is barely touching sides on a figure as steep as this. Nevertheless, through providing this service the number will slowly decrease, and they hope to inspire others who wish to help in a similar line of work. Aside from the harrowing statistics of South African poverty, Samuel then continued to illustrate the day-to-day logistics of the village “I have a different job every day, whether that is working within agriculture, farming, maintenance, social services and a whole other abundance of amenities.” When asked of his most memorable experience to date, Samuel sat back silenced as a hundred memories passed over his head. His face then lightened up “A week after I arrived in January, I was invited to one of the Foster mother’s houses for dinner. The evening consisted of exchanging personal stories and how we both wound up in this position. Hearing some of the horrors this poor women had seen truly put life into perspective and reminded me exactly why I am here today and doing what I am doing. That night will live with me forever, not haunting me but motivating me.” Taken aback and completely humbled, I continued with the interview. The very problem the world faces however, is that this practice of conservation, is one piece of a jigsaw that has an infinite amount of pieces. So it is more important now, than ever before to get as many people as possible to go out and make a change. Wildlife and conservation student Archie O’Neale put the situation into proportion “in 5 years the global population has grown by 0.4 billion, what comes with this is more mouths to feed, more homes to build and inevitably more people to keep alive.” But as he advanced he made it clear that this will only be possible to achieve if more become willing to give to others in need. Conservation work obviously isn’t for everybody, it takes a special kind of person to be willing to sacrifice the sheer

Volunteers out on a show for the LIV kids - Photo by Samuel Hepper

Volunteers take children for a walk in the local community - Photo by Samuel Hepper

By Shey Spears

I have fallen in love with this

place, the kids, the atmosphere. I will definitely be back here in future years to

come.”amount of money it costs to embark on a conservation trip. Although, for those who are cash-strapped and still wanting to help where possible, several charities fund trips if you fundraise a certain amount of money. This was the case for university student Kieran Graves. In September 2015, Kieran signed up to Hope for Children’s Charity, the goal was to raise £3,000 which would see him head to Tanzania. “Here I will spend a week helping to build a local school and then taking on the challenge of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. I am very excited for the test ahead, but also to help a fantastic cause at the same time.” For Samuel, conservation is more than just a personal hobby, “social

justice” is something he strives to have a career in, within the near future. Samuel concluded the interview by offering some thoughts on why conservation work should be something to consider at the very least. “The most fulfilling thing in life is giving to others. There is something very significant about going out and looking to give rather than receive, and it depends on one’s mentality. Conservation work is really the greatest kind of gift you can give to others. Outward looking mentality is amazing.” But Samuel did insist that this is not something someone should be forced to do. After all, it is ultimately the person’s choice and no one else’s to make for them. He added finally that he has captured something in South Africa “I know for a fact I will go home a completely different person and I would urge anyone to go, just to experience this sensation. I have fallen in love with this place, the kids, the atmosphere. I will definitely be back here in future years to come.” So, how about it. Take a minute to think how this kind of experience could influence your life. Conservation work is invaluable, it unites, it brings happiness to others and most importantly, it helps change the world.