She is so passionate about the youth and their well-being that she was recently named an ambassador for the Gauteng’s Department of Arts and Culture.
With her passion for giving back and educating the youth, during the month of August, she will run a charity initiative titled ‘27 Dresses’ to celebrate her 27
th birthday. Being a lover of film, this CSI project is titled after one of her favourite movies,
27 Dresses but the main aim is to collect and donate dresses for deserving matriculants for their matric farewells. The dress recipients will be determined by how well they do at school and how they have contributed to a better community; either by sport participation, excelling at school despite home circumstances and contribution to the community via community projects.
These dresses will come from personalities like herself, Kgomotso Christopher, Zikhona Sodlaka, Nomzamo Mbatha and former model Sonia Booth. They will then be distributed to 27 scholars across the chosen schools after the event. This will take place in celebration of Matlaila’s 27
th birthday on Saturday, 23 August. “Every little girl dreams of attending a matric farewell ball but most of their dreams are shattered when they can’t afford the gown for the dance. My goal is to make it a reality for some girl out there who has this desire. Your matric farewell is one of life’s most cherished moments ... and I want to give those memories to someone out there who is deserving,” says Matlaila.
Matlaila is doing this in partnership with her designer, Reginald Molamu from Reggie Starred. He is the former founder of RJK Kreation and also happens to be Matlaila’s closest cousin. Molamu will also be responsible for making alterations on the dresses.
The drive is to encourage the youth to not be moulded and shaped by their current or past situations but they have today to create a better tomorrow for themselves, participate in schooling activities and always be their best and have no fear of being great.
To get one’s school involved in the CSI project or for more information, email
info@aptitudeconsulting.co.za. The girls will keep the dresses so that they can cherish these memories for ever.