In Loving Memory of Eerica Van Dyk
A Legacy of Love: In Loving Memory of Eerica Van Dyk
Sunrise: 01 December 1963 – Sunset: 25 October 2025
On October 25, 2025, a profound silence fell upon our community. It is the kind of silence that occurs when a great engine of kindness, a heartbeat of pure compassion, suddenly comes to rest. We are gathered here, in spirit and in sorrow, to mourn the immeasurable loss of our beloved Chairperson, Eerica Van Dyk.
To say Eerica was the head of Helping SA is an understatement. She was its soul. She was its breath. She was the very hands that reached into the darkness to pull others into the light.
A Life Lived for Others
Long before there were titles, letterheads, or registration numbers, there was simply Eerica’s heart. Her journey of service began not in a boardroom, but on the ground, face-to-face with human suffering.
"We simply could not do it on our own anymore."
Since 2008, Eerica was the quiet force behind monthly food parcels for hungry families. She was the warmth behind the clothing given to shivering children. She was the dignity restored to the elderly who felt forgotten by the world. Her enthusiasm wasn't just an emotion; it was a fuel that drove her to give, and give, and give again.
Building a Sanctuary
The era of Helping SA officially began in 2013, born entirely from her refusal to look away. Eerica saw the eyes of a child in need, or a family on the brink, and she decided that something had to be done.
By 2013, her vision had grown too large for one pair of hands to carry. She registered Helping SA not for accolades, but out of necessity—to multiply the love she could offer. She firmly believed that an organization's name is a promise. She ensured that "Helping SA" was never just a label; it was a verb. It was an action. Under her guidance, the name and the initiative walked hand-in-hand.
Rest Softly,
Eerica, your absence leaves a void that cannot be filled, but your legacy leaves a blueprint that cannot be erased. You taught us that passion is the greatest resource of all. You showed us that one person’s enthusiasm can feed a multitude and clothe a community.
Though you have left this physical world, you live on.
You are in the laughter of the children we support.
You are in the relief of the parents who receive a food parcel.
You are in the comfort of the elderly who know they are not alone.
Thank you for your service, your sacrifice, and your boundless love. You helped South Africa, and in doing so, you changed us all.
Rest in eternal peace, Eerica.
A Message from the New Chairperson and Daughter. A Legacy Continued
"My mother, Eerica, was the heartbeat of this organization, but to me, she was simply my world. Losing her has been the hardest challenge of my life, and I miss her guidance, her warmth, and her unstoppable spirit every single day.
However, I know that the greatest way I can honor her is to keep her fire burning. I am stepping up as Chairperson of Helping SA not to replace her—because she is irreplaceable—but to continue the work she started. I carry her lessons in my heart, and I am dedicated to serving our community with the same love she poured into every food parcel and every hug.
Thank you for standing with us, and with me, as we carry her legacy forward."
— Leonie Botha Chairperson, Helping SA
Sunrise: 01 December 1963 – Sunset: 25 October 2025
On October 25, 2025, a profound silence fell upon our community. It is the kind of silence that occurs when a great engine of kindness, a heartbeat of pure compassion, suddenly comes to rest. We are gathered here, in spirit and in sorrow, to mourn the immeasurable loss of our beloved Chairperson, Eerica Van Dyk.
To say Eerica was the head of Helping SA is an understatement. She was its soul. She was its breath. She was the very hands that reached into the darkness to pull others into the light.
A Life Lived for Others
Long before there were titles, letterheads, or registration numbers, there was simply Eerica’s heart. Her journey of service began not in a boardroom, but on the ground, face-to-face with human suffering.
"We simply could not do it on our own anymore."
Since 2008, Eerica was the quiet force behind monthly food parcels for hungry families. She was the warmth behind the clothing given to shivering children. She was the dignity restored to the elderly who felt forgotten by the world. Her enthusiasm wasn't just an emotion; it was a fuel that drove her to give, and give, and give again.
Building a Sanctuary
The era of Helping SA officially began in 2013, born entirely from her refusal to look away. Eerica saw the eyes of a child in need, or a family on the brink, and she decided that something had to be done.
By 2013, her vision had grown too large for one pair of hands to carry. She registered Helping SA not for accolades, but out of necessity—to multiply the love she could offer. She firmly believed that an organization's name is a promise. She ensured that "Helping SA" was never just a label; it was a verb. It was an action. Under her guidance, the name and the initiative walked hand-in-hand.
Rest Softly,
Eerica, your absence leaves a void that cannot be filled, but your legacy leaves a blueprint that cannot be erased. You taught us that passion is the greatest resource of all. You showed us that one person’s enthusiasm can feed a multitude and clothe a community.
Though you have left this physical world, you live on.
You are in the laughter of the children we support.
You are in the relief of the parents who receive a food parcel.
You are in the comfort of the elderly who know they are not alone.
Thank you for your service, your sacrifice, and your boundless love. You helped South Africa, and in doing so, you changed us all.
Rest in eternal peace, Eerica.
A Message from the New Chairperson and Daughter. A Legacy Continued
"My mother, Eerica, was the heartbeat of this organization, but to me, she was simply my world. Losing her has been the hardest challenge of my life, and I miss her guidance, her warmth, and her unstoppable spirit every single day.
However, I know that the greatest way I can honor her is to keep her fire burning. I am stepping up as Chairperson of Helping SA not to replace her—because she is irreplaceable—but to continue the work she started. I carry her lessons in my heart, and I am dedicated to serving our community with the same love she poured into every food parcel and every hug.
Thank you for standing with us, and with me, as we carry her legacy forward."
— Leonie Botha Chairperson, Helping SA