KNYSNA NEWS - Finding the perfect matric dance outfit can be the greatest joy or the biggest nightmare – with some matrics even giving up on the dream of attending their own matric dance due to financial circumstances at home.
But their luck might just change, thanks to an initiative that exists solely to ensure that underprivileged learners have the best of everything on their matric dance and that they do attend.
The Save the Dance initiative is the brainchild of Knysna's Unathi Dyan Koti, who is currently based in Cape Town.
Koti introduced the initiative by posting on Facebook a dress she wore on her 30th birthday last year with the intention of giving it away to a learner who needed the dress and, like they say, the rest is history, according to Koti.
The initiative has since grown to such an extent, she says, that by now they have collected dresses, suits and shoes and have also received offers from makeup and nail professionals to get the matrics looking like a million dollars on their big night.
'They all deserve to look amazing'
"Initially we thought we should give these items to learners who excel academically, but the matric dance is for all learners, they all deserve to look amazing on their day," said Koti.
She added that she is aware of the stigma that comes with an initiative of this nature. "Some of these learners have already made peace with the fact that they are not attending their matric dance because there is no money at home and they don't want to have their peers and the rest of us pity them, so we're working on a way to better execute this and have them wear their outfits with the greatest pride."
The Save The Dance team are working on organising a venue sometime in June and create an atmosphere where the learners from Concordia and Percy Mdala high schools and Knysna Secondary School can go shopping where all the items will be on display.
"Having gone through what these learners are currently going through makes me want to push even more for this project and give them a memorable matric dance – but not without help, of course," said Koti.
To find out more about Save The Dance or to donate, follow them on Facebook or contact Unathi Dyan Koti on 084 755 0422.
These shoes were also given to a learner doing matric.
'We bring you the latest Knysna, Garden Route news'
