PAYING IT FORWARD How many times have you stuffed a bag of kids’ clothes into a charity bin and thought about where they will actually end up? Or wondered what to do with that pram or safety gate you no longer need. Our kids grow up at such a rapid rate so many of our kid’s items are still in fantastic condition when they are no longer needed. So what can we do with these items so we know they are going to a great new home?
Fatma Elzein, Founder and Managing Director of Mummies Paying it Forward tells us how it all began… I get asked a lot about how Mummies Paying it Forward came about and ultimately it was a number of small ‘defining’ moments. Defining moments to me are times where you stop and really think about how you can contribute to improve a situation. Prior to the establishment of Mummies Paying It Forward, I was struggling emotionally to cope with loss so I decided to channel my energy into helping others.
Mummies Paying it Forward is a Sydney-based charity organisation created to support the most vulnerable people within our society, by providing preloved (in great condition) and brand new items to a wide range of dedicated local not-for-profit charities within New South Wales. Founded in December 2014 by Sydney mum of four and paediatric nurse Fatma Elzein, and run by a small, dedicated team of volunteers, the group has grown from a handful of Fatma’s friends, to over 22,000+ members in a short period of time. They focus on practical ways they can contribute to local not-for-profit organisations and assist so many struggling families within our communities and beyond. It’s about helping someone who has hit a rough patch in life so they have the opportunity to one day help themselves and in most cases, their children and families. Donations can be delivered to one of over 30+ drop-off points across Sydney or given directly to the charities they support.
“Every single time you help somebody stand up you are helping humanity rise” - Steve Maraboli.
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As a mother, I could easily relate to other mothers, and the idea that there were parents out there who couldn’t afford to feed and clothe their children, really got to me. Based on a prior recommendation of a friend on what to do with baby clothing and nursery items, and having grown up in a household where the generosity of the community in advice and support to newly settled migrants was frequently spoken about, the road to the first two charities Mummies Paying It Forward would support, had begun. From my initial pursuit to find a way to volunteer and help others, I knew that the hardest thing about helping others, is figuring out where to start and how you can personally
