For thousands of children across South Africa, the concept of ‘magic’ is an elusive one. With realities such as extreme poverty, abuse, neglect or abandonment, these children lack basic necessities let alone ‘niceties’.
A serendipitous moment and the quest to find a higher purpose and meaning for her life allowed Ilana Friedman the opportunity to give birth to Magical Moments.
After taking cakes to 30 orphaned children at Masibambisane in Eldorado Park in March 2004, I witnessed how much joy this simple gesture brought the children and decided to do it again, returning to Masibambisane every month for two years with a different treat. And that is how Magical Moments was borne. Shortly thereafter, for a period of two years, I visited little children every six weeks, who lived inside the prison, incarcerated with their mothers. From those humble beginnings, the organisation has reached out to over 50 000 children throughout the year, all over Johannesburg.
Magical Moments, a registered, non-profit, charitable organisation creates “Magical Moments and Extra-ordinary Days” for abused, abandoned, disadvantaged, impoverished, neglected, orphaned, underprivileged and vulnerable children in the greater Johannesburg region, predominantly aged between two to ten years. Most of these children come from severely financially disadvantaged backgrounds and many experience extreme trauma and difficulty through poverty, neglect, abuse, being orphaned or abandoned. Due to the broad profile and demographic foot print, Magical Moments reaches out to children who would ordinarily “slip through the cracks”. The children are not institutionalised or living in homes or orphanages.
Whilst Magical Moments understands the desperate need for basic essentials such as food, education, health care and shelter, we focus “on the moment”, to take light where there is darkness. To share love and laughter, create fun and happiness, smiles and playfulness and just perhaps to create an “Extra-ordinary Day” – a day different from yesterday and different from tomorrow – an escape and distraction from the harsh world that they come from and live in – a chance to play, to laugh, to have fun, to indulge, to celebrate, to be children and for a magical moment, to forget. We give the children the chance to dream, to wish and perhaps give them hope, uplifting their spirits, exposing them to a world beyond their own – a world of possibilities – taking children and all their senses on “adventures” to discover and explore new and different worlds. We feed and nourish the mind, heart, tummy and the spirit.
Commemorating the 12th year of its existence, Magical Moments has uplifted many day care centres, feeding schemes and helped develop other organisations advocating for all children’s rights, especially the right to PLAY.
Ilana is married to Gavin, co-founder of The SOAR Institute, an organisation dedicated to personal transformation of individuals and organisations and leadership development.
If you wish to make any donation to Magical Moments, Ilana can be contacted via e-mail on dreamtime@mweb.co.za / www.magicalmoments.co.za
Story supplied by Tivania Moodley, a Good Things correspondent
www.tivaniag.wordpress.com / www.writersblock2104.webs.com
