Fairy godmother to the rescue for matric Cinderellas

The annual matric-ball season usually starts in September, and while many are looking forward to this special night, there are also a lot of Cinderellas out there who can’t afford a fancy outfit.

It is for this reason that Sandra Dee, a former beauty queen, started the Fairy Godmother Princess Project in Hanover Park eight years ago - to help those with financial challenges to look their best at the ball.

Ms Dee, who was the first to be crowned Miss Gay Cape Town, says the project was born out of her passion for her community, for modelling and for fashion and hairdressing.

It was at first known simply as the Fairy Godmother, but a collaboration with the Princess Project in Wynberg led to the name change.

With the donations of formal dresses, shoes, bags and other accessories over the years, the organisation, which is based at Crystal High School, has accumulated an extensive selection of matric-ball outfits.

“Most times, the girls can borrow the dresses for free, but there are times when I ask them to contribute R50 or so,” says Ms Dee. “They are allowed to keep it for up to two weeks. They make an appointment and come to select their dresses, shoes and accessories themselves.

“We’ve now also extended our services to matriculants who completed their schooling at night school - they are mainly mothers who decided to complete their matric at a later stage of their lives. We’ve also assisted women who needed to hire a ball gown to attend fund-raisers, for example.”

Rushanah Hendricks, 19, was helped by the project when she was in matric at Mountview High School in Hanover Park last year.

“I am from a single-parent household, and I am the eldest of five siblings. We have many struggles. The thought of not being able to attend my matric ball affected me emotionally. I didn’t think I’d make it to this stage, so being able to attend my matric ball was very important to me,” she says.

“My mother is a volunteer on the neighbourhood watch, and she told me about the project. My mother also made the appointment for me, and when I got here, I immediately saw the dress I liked. It meant a lot to me. I felt like a queen. Not many get this opportunity. It was a dream come true for me.”

Nanushka Pearce, 21, also found her dream dress at the project, but her school’s matric ball was cancelled because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The dress was just outstanding. I dreamt of my matric ball and worked hard for it. I was a working mother, but I was still struggling. My aunt told me about the project, and I came here to select my dress. Sadly, because of the Covid-19 pandemic, my school, Batavia, cancelled our matric ball, which was supposed to happen in 2020. Even after this, I kept in contact with Auntie Sandy (Ms Dee) and we developed a friendship. Our friendship evolved, and I became a model for the project. Wearing the dresses uplifts my spirit.”