Viva Foundation

The Viva Children's Choir 

• The Choir was established in 2018 and began to give performances e.g. The St. Stephens Sunninghill Parish and the Hatfield Christian Church's Market as well as Viva events.  
• In 2019 a select group of 12 members were chosen and began training for a Concert Tour to Holland and Germany in December 2019.  The Choir charmed audiences where-ever they went and the foundations were laid for future tours.  They also performed on Television in South Africa and at the Annual Viva Graduation and Year End Ceremony. 
• The Choir sings with Viva's Chief Executive, Meleney Kriel, a musician and soloist in her own right, with two Gospel albums to her name. The unique combination of the children's voices and Meleney's energetic and powerful vocal abilities, make the performances a pleasure for audiences. 
• The Choir continued to practice as soon as the school opened and although they were not able to perform, due to Covid 19 restrictions, another 10 members were added to the choir. 
• The Choir Director, Taki Malepane, continues to give music lessons at the school twice a week and trains the choir. 

For an unforgettable Township Experience, join us for the annual Viva Township Art Festival, Mamelodi on Youth Day this year.  Transform shacks into works of art, join in the drumming circle, sleep over in the township at the Viva Village and help us promote the arts in the Alaska Informal Settlement.  

For updates closer to the date, please take a look at the Facebook Page https://web.facebook.com/viva.village

The vision of Viva is to be instrumental in transformation and we believe that Art is a transformational force.  We therefore invite artists to join us in transforming one informal settlement with Art. We transform shack homes, walls and streets with art and are in need of much assistance to make a true impact.  The Art uplifts.  It attracts.  It inspires.  Our dream is that the Alaska Informal Settlement, Mamelodi East, will be transformed in a Living Art Gallery.  This was our idea from the start and it still is. When Viva first started the Living Art Gallery, there was nothing like it anywhere.  It is living, because unlike an Open Air Gallery, people actually live INSIDE the art.  No two photos of a piece is the same, as there will be children playing, people walking, working and living in the frames.  Others have followed and we see beautifully transformed structures in cities and townships now.  Viva's Township Art Festival and Living Art Gallery, will never be about big budgets and commercial endeavours.  We keep the art pure and authentic and respect the spaces of our community.  This is not gentrification.  It is bringing art to people who are too poor to visit an art gallery, to purchase art, or to receive tuition and art mentorship.  We are promoting the arts, because it is also affords extremely under-privileged people access to the economy.  When you have nothing, but you can sing, or dance, or paint, or act... you can make a living, particularly with a little help from your friends! 

Fine Art, Graffiti, Street Art, Cartooning... if you are a bona Fide artist and want to get involved in doing a mural at the Art Festival, please let us know. 

Artists, lovers of Art, volunteers and visitors are welcome!  We will also be serving soup in the community and have our Viva's got Talent showcasing dance, drama, poetry and music acts from the surrounding areas.