Project P.L.A.Y
In a society that shows growing signs every year in unfortunate
cases of children being thrown aside, murdered and constantly put through
abusive treatment, it’s hard to imagine what happens ‘after’.
How do these kids live ‘after’ being found, saved and maybe
reallocated?
Some of them, history has taught us, go on to become the
parents of the children they once were, after all people had already felt their
duty done and dusted once the children were discovered, dressed in a day’s best
and shipped off to a new home, whether that home was just a different kind of
hell was almost always irrelevant. The good deed was completed.
It’s in observing that, that we as people become quickly
disillusioned with even bothering to help the next troubled child that comes
across our path. Most of us even go so far as to justify our inaction by
arguing if the children ‘really’ are troubled.
Considering all that, it makes for a warming heart and
sparked determination when one comes across a cause that could maybe just save
us from the fire, be it the one churches preach to us about or the one those
neglected and abandon children could one day bury us in.
Recently I was introduced to just such a cause.
On visiting the Facebook page for Project P.L.A.Y ZA, you
are informed of their vision and mission through a brief description which
reveals that their name means more than a cute play on words.
‘Participating in the Lives of Africa’s Youth’ – P.L.A.Y
The initiative is born from the strong desire to sustainably
fund the ‘Footprints P.L.A.Y children’s home’ and it’s very refreshing to see a
project like this, not funded by the government, but looking for ways to
survive without that kind of dependency. It makes for a promising change that
people have come together and realized that some things don’t need the unstable
and heavily uncertain support from the government who only tends to focus on
such initiatives when elections come around.
It’s great to see that a project exists that sees the
children past the days of election and wants to ensure they aren’t only looked
upon every five years, but instead every year.
Of course there are no doubt other organizations that exist,
legitimately or not, that strive to do the same, but what makes Project P.L.A.Y
ZA stand out for me personally is that had I not been invited to their first
event, Project P.L.A.Y Quiz, I would never have known of their existence.
This project seems to enter the cracks of society with only
the power of ‘word of mouth’ to build on. To me, this speaks of a group of
people doing great things, not for the recognition but for the simple
satisfaction of making a difference in the lives of innocent souls dealt a harsh
hand in life’s gamble.
Project PLAY Quiz
On the 15 February 2014, Project PLAY ZA held their first
event that is to be in support of their desire to build an obstacle course for
the Footprints P.L.A.Y children’s home. Opening the event with impassioned
words, one of the coordinators for the event explained how they wished to
supply the children with a safe and enriching obstacle course where children
could be the carefree innocents all children have the right to be. It was also
revealed that the obstacle course wasn’t just for the sake of the abandoned children,
but also the children of the community in general.
It is clear through their words that this Project strives to
ensure an integrated space where children can come together and play without
the discriminations society has labelled with them. I can’t help but be in awe
at the efforts made in this vision to ensure that all children, regardless of
background, can come together and befriend each other without the damaging
critique of narrow minded and abusive behaviors that tend to be cultivated
within similarly enclosed households.
The short film played before the event also leaves one
speechless with its powerful message that visually explains, in beautifully
tragic imagery, their vision and mission.
The Game
With the help and support from members of the Grace Family
Church and Jeppe High School for Girls, for the use of their hall facilities,
the event sported a good turnout of competitive individuals all gunning for first
place and just looking for some fun as they tested their brains in the four
categories prepared for the day, along with an entertaining bonus round
inspired by the TV show ‘Minute to Win it’.
Raffles and prizes like custom handmade jewelry to an Apple iPad
mini were up for grabs as participants took to teams ranging from four to eight
individuals and tackled random questions concerning music, movies and general
knowledge.
The coordinators showed some great team work as they
presided over the well-organized event, from patrolling the tables, to ensure that
no one sneaked an invite to google onto their team, to making sure that any
children not quite quiz ready were well taken care of in a special area.
Everything ran like a well-oiled machine.
The success of the event could be felt from the quick-witted
quiz master and the chefs preparing the lunches, right to the pumped up teams
trying their luck at fooling other members with false answers ‘accidently’ shouted
out.
All in all, the event gave for an entertaining Saturday
afternoon that left participants brain dizzy but feeling good as they let
loose.
When looking at one of the many highlights of the event, I
can’t help but hope that Project PLAY doesn’t take as many as ‘a thousand miles'
to reach their goal of constructing the Footprints P.L.A.Y children’s obstacle
course.
‘It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care
who gets the credit.’ – Harry S.Truman
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