An update on the community protest that took place at LIV Village on the 22nd of May 2017.
LIV Village, Private Property’s CSR partner, is a community of over 300 people from all walks of life and races who live and work together to benefit disadvantaged children.
They are also part of the larger Cottonlands community where close on 15,000 people live, mostly in abject poverty, with very little hope as unemployment is high, skills are lacking, and HIV/AIDS continues to take its toll at an alarming rate. Many more houses have been built in Cottonlands, since LIV was established, and as the population grows it creates its own problems.
How LIV assists the neighbouring community
Part of the vision for LIV was to build villages alongside struggling communities in order to assist those communities too. To that end they have provided a fully equipped clinic where the community can get medical and dental assistance, repaired the local community hall, built toilets and a kitchen for the local school and replaced broken down houses. In addition, LIV’s ECD teachers provide assistance to 5 local creches.
As part of their skills development program the LIV Culinary School trains and provides work opportunities for 20 students in the hospitality industry. In addition, LIV provides employment for employ more than 90 people in unskilled and semi-skilled positions from Cottonlands of which 12 are from the further surrounding communities.
The protests
It is within this backdrop that LIV was devastated to see members of this same community rise up against them for not employing enough people from Cottonlands and employing people from other communities. On 22 May, around 300 members of the local community broke down 2 of the gates leading to the village then broke through the fence at the factories and damaged/looted the clothing and labels factories, the agricultural process plant and the community clinic.
In spite of their disappointment at the protest, LIV are determined to engage and reconcile with the Cottonfields community and find a way forward.
LIV is deeply grateful to all who have assisted in their time of need.
If you would like to find out more about the incredible work that LIV does or would like to assist in any way, you can visit their website here.
