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Cinderella Story

Yvonne Taufa. Photo: TheWireless.co.nz

As one of 10 siblings, Yvonne Taufa got used to sharing at a young age. “I have a big family,” laughs the 25 year old. “Sharing was normal.” So when, as a youth worker in South Auckland, she spoke to teenage girls who were struggling to afford gowns for their school formals, she saw a solution.

Enter Taufa’s new charity – The Cinderellas Project. The concept is simple: underprivileged girls from South Auckland can book in to borrow a donated dress and shoes for their big night, as well as get their hair and make-up done by a team of volunteers. Since the launch last July, disadvantaged girls have been lining up for their makeovers. “We had a girl who had driven all afternoon to get to our office,” says Taufa. “That really opened my eyes to how much this is needed.”

One dress that isn’t available to borrow? Taufa’s own, a replica of a Versace gown she saw on Jennifer Lopez (she gave it away after the event). “I felt like a princess in that dress,” says Taufa. “That’s the feeling I want to give the girls: to feel beautiful and loved, with absolutely no cost to their families.”

For more, visit @cinderellasprojectnz on Instagram and Facebook.

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