Around 300 children from various Cape Flats communities were treated to a day of fun through an annual initiative by a group of kind-hearted residents.
One of the organisers, Igshaan Cookson from Surrey Estate, Athlone says the initiative has been running for the past 15 years in which a large group of children from disadvantaged communities and orphanages are treated to a “year-end children’s function”.
This year, the event was held at the lush and expansive Fernwood Estate, in Kirstenbosch on Saturday.
The children were kept entertained from the morning to the afternoon, with a number of fun-filled activities including jumping castles, super slides, face painting, as well as meals and gift bags.
The children were from Mitchells Plain, Manenberg, Khayelitsha, Bonteheuwel, Athlone, Lavender Hill and Vrygrond.
Igshaan says: “As concerned citizens, we feel that we have to give back to our communities and all our family members also chip in.
“It was ubuntu in motion where children can feel free to be a child again, to just play in an open space, where they can run around and be treated.”
Bonteheuwel Walking Ladies (BWL) founder Soraya Salie says 54 children from Bontas were part of the festivities, accompanied by 12 of its members as marshals to supervise.
Soraya says: “It was a beautiful day, alhamdulillah. The only thing we had to provide was the transport and you know transportation is expensive and we really want to give Hanslo’s Transport the credit for subsidising all of us to take us.”
She says their kids getting a fun day out was a huge blessing, while allowing the BWL to end their year on a high note.