Magical Moments provide magical experiences for young children

A Sandton resident who has been selected as a semi-finalist for the Humanitarian of the Year Award has been helping others for the past 15 years.

Ilana Friedman, the Fairy Godmother of Magical Moments, said she never thought that she would live the life of a humanitarian, but it all changed on 13 May 2003 when she and her husband took a wrong turn and were hijacked.

“Our lives were changed forever and it was a blessing in disguise and those two hijackers turned out to be to our ‘Angels’.”

Shortly after the traumatic experience, Friedman took a four-month sabbatical from her lucrative career in the corporate travel industry. Her short sabbatical has become 15 years.

For the first two years after the hijacking, Friedman visited Masibambisane Day Centre, for orphaned and vulnerable children in Eldorado Park, where she was touched by a little boy who was scooping up the crumbs of a cake and would save it because it was so delicious. “That was where the name, ‘Magical Moments’ came from because it was so special.”

She said most of the donations are from friends, family, corporates and fairies who are volunteers. “I haven’t drawn a salary in 15 years and have been running this organisation from a home-based operation.

“We recently moved to a place called Injabulo, which means happiness in isiZulu. I did not choose the name, but I believe it was destiny to find this place.”

The purpose of the home in Sandhurst is to allow children from different organisations to enjoy a day of magical fun. “The place is for children to experience the luxuries in life that they are not used to.

“I have approached around 140 organisations in areas where not a lot of people go and engage with the daycares. They then organise transport from their area, and when they come into our world, we give the children a lot of love and treat them.”

The house can accommodate around 30 children. Recently they had 14 children for a pottery class. Friedman said it is not about the number of children but the impact you have on a single child, however, and to date, they have impacted the lives of hundreds of thousands of little ones.

“It is a home of distinction, a sanctuary for the soul to take refuge in, while imaginations come to play in a safe, stimulating and magical environment, resplendent in nature.”

The sanctuary is placed in the richest square mile in Africa and has various areas and activities such as swimming, sports, art, dance, music, baking and pottery classes, and places to plant herbs, veggies and flowers.

There is also a ‘World of Wonder’, ‘Everland’, ‘Fairy Enchanted Forest’ and the ‘Palace of Dreams’, to name a few.

Some of the biggest challenges she has faced throughout the 15 years are the stories of the children and being a first responder for many years where she would be called to a scene where a child is in crisis and offer assistance and direct people to the relevant authorities. “It is hearing stories where children get raped or babies that were dumped in garbage bins that stay with me forever, or the environments I go in where it is not conducive for any human to live, let alone children,” said Friedman.

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