{"id":296250,"date":"2026-02-26T10:07:18","date_gmt":"2026-02-26T08:07:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/?p=296250"},"modified":"2026-02-26T10:07:19","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T08:07:19","slug":"hope-rekindled-in-virginia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/hope-rekindled-in-virginia\/","title":{"rendered":"Hope rekindled in Virginia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Residents tired of degradation and decay are now planning massive restoration projects for Virginia in Matjhabeng.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A non-profit organisation called Hands of Grace is stepping in to save their once-beautiful town from total decay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They are starting with the Grave Restoration Project.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“In our cemetery are the graves of our pioneers, South African Defense Force boys who died in the line of duty and our deceased residents, old and young, who all lived memorable lives that should be honoured. We want to restore their dignity,” says Chant\u00e9l van den Berg, one of the three founders of Hands of Grace.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The dedicated team<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Together with Kay Strauss and Natasha Pottas, Van den Berg is setting out to reclaim Virginia’s honour. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the non-profit organisation, residents can donate R50 per month.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ: Restoration within reach(Opens in a new browser tab)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The funds collected will be used to get manpower to do the job \u2013 job creation in an environment with a high unemployment rate \u2013 and material to fix where we can,” says Van den Berg.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“With enough hands and money, we can even fill up the graves that have collapsed. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The
The Grave Restoration Project will focus on cleaning and restoring graves.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

“After the graveyard, we want to expand the project to encompass the entire Virginia. The potholes in Danie Erasmus Avenue are a danger to people transporting school children.”\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Van den Berg says by establishing the non-profit organisation, they are putting words into action. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We have already been donated three industrial bush cutters by HandinDiy. We are looking to rent chainsaws and getting one of the local motor dealers to sponsor us a bakkie. This is all being done for the love of our town.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quitly fallen into oblivion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

“Many graves in our cemetery have quietly fallen into oblivion over time; not because they were unloved, but because families have moved, grown older, or simply can no longer maintain the graves themselves. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“It is very dangerous for widows and bereaved families to visit the graves. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We believe: Every resting place deserves dignity, every name deserves to be remembered, and every grave deserves care.”\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Grave Restoration Project will focus on cleaning and restoring graves, maintaining gardens and pathways, bringing beauty and peace back to sacred spaces, and serving the community with love and respect.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"In
In the Virginia graveyard are, among others, the graves of pioneers, a bush war memorial and graves, and also the memorial wall of the victims of the Merriespruit Disaster. The Grave Restoration Project will focus on cleaning and restoring graves.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Honouring lives<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

“This is about more than just cleaning a cemetery \u2013 it’s about honouring lives, comforting families, and showing that love doesn’t end when we say goodbye.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We are challenging our community to partner with Hands of Grace by contributing R50 per month. With your support, we will be able to employ three local community members to maintain the cemetery continuously, ensure no unattended grave is ever skipped, and restore dignity to every resting place. Together, small acts of kindness can create lasting change.”\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ: Residents furious when power not restored(Opens in a new browser tab)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

She is appealing to the public to volunteer, donate plants and tools, or become part of this monthly giving circle. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Together, we restore more than graves; we restore dignity.” \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Grave Restoration Project will commence in March.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Call Van den Berg on 062 569 9776 for information or to become involved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Residents of Matjhabeng are initiating restoration projects, led by the non-profit Hands of Grace, to revive their decaying town. Focused on the Grave Restoration Project, this initiative aims to honor and clean graves of past locals, promote community engagement, and restore dignity to resting places. 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Enzo is a Virginia baby boy who was born healthy and strong; but at six weeks he was diagnosed with congenital heart disease. Pictured supporting him at the Red Cross Hospital in Cape Town are the three women behind Hands of Grace, from the left, Natasha Pottas, Chant\u00e9l van den Berg and Kay Strauss from Virginia. 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Donations will fund manpower and maintenance efforts.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/hope-rekindled-in-virginia\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Vista\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/VistaNewsNuus\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-02-26T08:07:18+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-26T08:07:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Babyenzo_51646.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"674\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Marti Will\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Marti Will\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/hope-rekindled-in-virginia\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/hope-rekindled-in-virginia\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Marti Will\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/5fcff7984992abaf4b29a15603295956\"},\"headline\":\"Hope rekindled in Virginia\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-26T08:07:18+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-26T08:07:19+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/hope-rekindled-in-virginia\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":577,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/hope-rekindled-in-virginia\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/Babyenzo_51646.jpeg\",\"keywords\":[\"Top\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Community\",\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/hope-rekindled-in-virginia\\\/#respond\"]}],\"copyrightYear\":\"2026\",\"copyrightHolder\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/#organization\"}},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/hope-rekindled-in-virginia\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/hope-rekindled-in-virginia\\\/\",\"name\":\"Hope rekindled in Virginia | Vista\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/hope-rekindled-in-virginia\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/hope-rekindled-in-virginia\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/Babyenzo_51646.jpeg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-26T08:07:18+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-26T08:07:19+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/hope-rekindled-in-virginia\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/hope-rekindled-in-virginia\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/hope-rekindled-in-virginia\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/Babyenzo_51646.jpeg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/vistanews\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/02\\\/Babyenzo_51646.jpeg\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":674,\"caption\":\"One of the projects being supported by the Hands of Grace non-profit organisation is Help save baby Enzo, which is being managed through a BackaBuddy campaign. 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Enzo is a Virginia baby boy who was born healthy and strong; but at six weeks he was diagnosed with congenital heart disease. Pictured supporting him at the Red Cross Hospital in Cape Town are the three women behind Hands of Grace, from the left, Natasha Pottas, Chant\u00e9l van den Berg and Kay Strauss from Virginia. 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