Embassy provides funding for one of the Viva Foundation's micro project

In the heart of the Mamelodi township the Viva Foundation (www.viva-sa.co.za) founded the Viva Village project in 2008. Viva Village aim to create a safe environment in which children from the surrounding areas can learn and play. It also assists young people and adults in obtaining job qualifications and learning skills such as sowing, welding and accounting.

Enlarge image Children in the classroom, Viva Village in Mamelodi (© German Embassy (Pretoria)) Mamelodi was founded in 1953 and during the 1960s the Apartheid government forced Pretoria’s black residents to relocate to the surrounding townships, such as Mamelodi, Ga-Rankuwa, Soshanguve and Atteridgeville. 

Today Mamelodi has around 700 000 residents, of which the majority are still black. While the living conditions are varied, many still live in wooden or metal shacks.

The Viva Foundation focuses its efforts on offering support to the young people of the township. By showing them that brighter future with better prospects are possible, it is hoped that the living conditions in the township will improve in the mid-term. 

Enlarge image Playground and classrooms at the Viva Village in Mamelodi (© German Embassy (Pretoria)) The German Embassy provided financial assistance for the initial phase of the project, so that a day care facility could be constructed, which consists of four classrooms, a quiet room, toilet facilities and a playground. 

A total amount of € 19 600 went towards funding the project. By now there are 69 children that can learn and play at the Viva Village’s day care facility.

We hope that the project will continue to be a success and that there will be many backers and helping hands. We salute the founders of this project for their exemplary work and our message to them is, "Keep the spirit to help other people!" We are pleased that we could help them.