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Her passion for community development and upliftment of young women propelled Sandy Lentoor to make herself an active member and coordinator in the Hanover Park for the Princess Project.
The project, founded by Erica Pienaar and Helga Leurs – her friend who passed away more than 12 years ago, donates matric farewell dresses to matriculants who cannot afford them.
It has branches in different parts of Cape Town with a strong focus on townships.
Townships are the focus because many girls in these areas cannot afford to foot bills, Lentoor explained.
The foundation does not just dress them but they also give them shoes, accessories and make-up.
“I have been part of the organisation for more than four years. They call me the “fairy” because I dress them,” said Lentoor.
She said that despite all the negative that is happening in the communities, their intention was to bring a smile to the faces of matriculants who lack funds, because doing matric is a big deal and it should be treated as such.
Kaashiefa Isaacs (24) from Hanover Park is one of the lucky girls who was sponsored a dress from the project.
Isaacs matriculated in 2015 and said that she heard about the organisation from a community leader who knew her situation at home. She then decided to approach them.
She said that she came from a disadvantaged background and her parents could not afford a matric outfit so the Princess Project helped her.
“Not many have money to afford such and I was in that position –thanks to them; they helped me and made me look like a princess. They also did my hair,” she boasted.
She thanked them and said that if it were not for them it would not have been possible for her to have an amazing night.
She said that they appreciate all the help they have been getting from different people who donate their dresses.
As a result, they have never run out of them, but she also stresses that even though they dress girls to look good, she saw no need for people to exaggerate.
“I do not agree with people who go overboard with expensive clothes and hire expensive cars. That all defeats the purpose which is for people to simply look and feel good,” she said.
She said that a fulfilling moment for her is when she sees a matriculant who initially was unable to afford a dress, smiling, looking good because someone somewhere donated a dress to her.
