Hannah Hopper is fundraising for Youth Well-Being Through Play

by Sisanda FunDaytion

Cape Town Education Health Care

I believe Youth Well-Being Through Play is a great cause. I am doing this because...
Hannah Hopper

#doDifferent

Please help by sharing this project

Allocate funds to this project at no extra cost to you by simply clicking on the icons to share

Different Donations

R 600

Funded to date

R 4,000

Goal

At Sisanda FunDaytion, they are raising funds to train 25 Youth Play Ambassadors to use play as a daily tool for healing and connection. Many of these young leaders know the cost of growing up without it—now they are learning to bring it back to others. They will reach over 200 children and 40 families, running family-strengthening programmes, hospital play festivals, inclusive community events and encourage attendance of mental health workshops. Your support helps us give children and adults more than just a moment of joy—it helps them feel safe, resilient, and hopeful, setting entire families on a healthier path for life.

Too many children today are growing up under the shadow of stress, violence, and intergenerational trauma. In South Africa, where access to mental health services is scarce—especially in low-income communities—these challenges often begin in childhood and shape a lifetime of struggle. Without safe relationships, children’s brains remain in survival mode, leaving them unable to learn, grow, or reach their true potential. Prevention is better than cure, and one of the most powerful yet undervalued tools we have is play. Play builds trust, strengthens families, reduces stress, and lays the foundation for resilience and well-being. And it’s not just for children—when adults reconnect with play, they rediscover its value for their own mental health and their ability to nurture and connect with their children.

At Sisanda FunDaytion, we are implementing a project that brings the right to play to life for children who need it most. Guided by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which affirms that play is essential to children’s health and well-being, this initiative recognises play as far more than just fun. It develops creativity, imagination, confidence, emotional resilience, and critical cognitive and social skills. Play also supports brain development and helps strengthen relationships. In communities under pressure, it is a powerful tool for managing stress, reducing violence, and fostering a more connected and nurturing environment.

Despite this, many children—especially those in low-income communities, children with disabilities, or those in hospital—are growing up without access to safe, meaningful play experiences. This project directly addresses that gap by equipping 25 young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to become trained Play Ambassadors. These youth, many of whom did not experience the benefits of play themselves, are reintroduced to it as part of their own healing and growth. Through focused training, peer support, and a range of diverse learning experiences, they develop leadership skills and resilience while learning how to create safe, inclusive play experiences for others.

Between September and December, the Play Ambassadors will lead the Play@Home, a three-month family-strengthening programme, and participate in other events including children’s festival at a paediatric hospital, and International Day of Persons with Disabilities by engaging with children of diverse abilities. Through their work, they will bring the power of play to 40 families in their community and to over 200 children, including those living with disabilities and in hospital care.

This project delivers both immediate and lasting impact. It restores joy and connection to children and families now, while investing in the long-term potential of young leaders who are reshaping their communities through compassion, creativity, and the transformative power of play.

Project activity

15

Jan

Allocated R600 to Hannah Hopper is fundraising for Youth Well-Being Through Play 1 months, 4 weeks ago

Hannah Hopper signed up as a #doDifferent activist completed step 1 of Becoming an Activist. Their NGO received R600 to make a difference in South Africa

Hannah Hopper is fundraising for Youth Well-Being Through Play

by Sisanda FunDaytion

Cape Town Education Health Care

Project activity

Funded to date:

R 600

Funding goal: R 4,000

NGO: Sisanda FunDaytion

Start: 15th January 2026

End: 29th January 2026