While most nine-year-olds count down to gifts, Giorgia was busy planning how to give hers away.
Cape Town, South Africa (20 November 2025) – When Kingsmead Primary School learner Giorgia Bemelman turned nine this year, she knew exactly who she wanted to celebrate with.
The moms and newborns at Rahima Moosa Mother & Child Hospital.
Instead of unwrapping presents, she asked her friends to bring nappies, wet wipes, baby essentials and gift vouchers so that she could donate everything to families supported by Footprints 4 Sam, a charity working to bring dignity, comfort and compassion to vulnerable children and their caregivers in government hospitals.
The organisation was established in memory of Samuel John Frederick Platt who passed away in 2016 at just 15½ months old after spending his entire life in hospital. His parents, Melissa and Fred Platt, founded the trust to make sure that no family navigating chronic or life-limiting childhood illness ever feels unsupported or alone.
Some of their work focuses on upgrading and bringing warmth to hospital wards, and supporting caregivers and families.
Giorgia recently joined the team at Rahima Moosa to hand-deliver the donations to moms and babies in the Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) Ward and Ward 1, two of the hospital’s busiest spaces for premature and fragile infants. Some of the gift vouchers she received will also go toward topping up essential supplies for families in need.
The KMC Ward is one of Footprints 4 Sam’s special projects. The trust previously helped upgrade the space so mothers who spend weeks living beside their babies have a calm, warm and dignified place to stay.
And their work is expanding in the hospital. Ward 1, where infants aged 0 to 6 months are treated, is next in line for support. New curtains and frosted windows are being installed to give caregivers more privacy and comfort.
“Giorgia’s selfless act of birthday kindness is a powerful reminder that generosity has no age,” said Melissa Williams-Platt, Co-Founder of Footprints 4 Sam. “Her kindness is already making a meaningful difference in the lives of mothers and babies who face tremendous challenges daily. We are deeply grateful for Giorgia’s compassion and for choosing to impact the world in such a beautiful way.”
It’s never too soon to make a difference. Georgia is only nine but her compassion and kindness are enough to light up the entire ward.
by 