It all started when one of Sisanda’s founding trustees, Daniella, was working at an HIV clinic. The clinic was under-resourced and in dire need of equipment and improved facilities - the children's area had no chairs, no toys and no psychologist.  There, she met a group of 12 children who were HIV positive, who were living in an impoverished environment and had been exposed to many traumatic experiences. The convener asked them to share their biggest wish for Christmas, no matter how big or impossible. She listened, quietly, at the back of the room as 8 of the 12 children said that they wished to go to the beach. This was preposterous! It was the height of summer and they were only 20 minutes from the nearest beach.
She sent out an emotional cry on Facebook to ask for people to donate so that she could help the clinic and help the children realise their dream. The response was phenomenal. Not only did the donations transform the clinic’s environment by redecorating, providing food, buying chairs and toys, hiring a psychologist and training two youth counsellors but it also left enough money to take 37 children to the beach for the day.

This day in March 2009 was supposed to be a simple day, but we could never have predicted the impact it would have, not only on the children whose joy was palpable, but the 14 'volunteers' who experienced what it means to give to another in this country. It was transformative for all and that one outing led to the start of our small organisation, Sisanda FunDaytion. 
Sisanda FunDaytion is named after one little girl, Sisanda, who we met along the way and is a name that in Xhosa means ‘We are still growing’. Which is what we intended to do after registering as an NPO in July 2010 and taking on our first employee in August.

We have continued to do  many days like this – in fact until the COVID 19 Pandemic we did 1 Fun Day every month since 2009 - with thousands of children from more than 50 different clinics, orphanages and community centers in the Western Cape with the help of our volunteers. The children we have worked with are incredibly impoverished, largely HIV-positive and simply do not experience the kind of days we are able to give them - days where they are free, days where they have access to the beauty of our country and days where they feel deeply cared for. 
There have been spin-offs - Christmas gifts, food parcels, teen movie nights, work experience and an adoption.