The occasion was an event held by the FOFA organization through the University of Pretoria. FOFA is a program that was designed to help disabled students through an empowering process of teaching them communication competence and helping them with employment issues. The Centre of Augmentative and Alternative Communication is filled with experts in their field of study, 'speech and hearing' but at the same time they are experts in love and care. They believe in empowering the students who go through the FOFA program by making them able to do things that anyone without a disability may be privileged enough to do.
The students get treated to a special banquet dinner where they get to dress up and show off their communication skills that they have learned. When I arrived at the university they all dazzled me as they were dressed in their best clothes and were ready for me to doll them up. What I didn't know was that besides making them feel good about themselves by adding some sparkly make up to their special day, they made me feel good with their own sparkle - their charm.
I and so many of you are so privileged to be able to communicate seamlessly without any difficulty. Privileged or not; what we forget is that sometimes all it takes to communicate well is a smile, which was something I noticed about these students, they always had a smile on their faces as they were so grateful. Some of them - men included - were having their make up done for the first time and I was honored to be the one doing it for them.
Like blogging, doing make up for people is another hobby I've always been fond of. Little did I know doing both these hobbies would be so uplifting. I'm grateful every day.
It seemed like an incredibly enriching experience, being able to help others is always so fulfilling!
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