Family dynamics can be challenging for people from all walks of life, and these domestic issues can have long-lasting effects.
This is particularly the case for parents and children who have become estranged, separated or have never had a relationship.
In a bid to promote healing, South African documentary-reality show “Abandoned” has been helping children search for their long-lost parents.
The Mzansi Magic show premiered in January 2021 and the first season was such a hit that it was extended. Season 3 is set to hit local screens in January.
The show centres on hope, reconciliation and reunion. It gives those watching a glimpse into compelling stories of families who are ultimately “striving for wholeness against the odds,” the producers said.
The show is hosted by Phumeza Mdabe, who was a presenter on “Our Perfect Wedding”, and in each episode, viewers are taken on an emotional journey towards life-changing reunions as children search for their long-lost parents.
Those who Mdabe helps include children who were left on park benches, commuter stations or at orphanages.
The 13-part show also gives parents a chance to find and reconnect with their offspring.
Before “Abandoned’s” debuted in January 2021, Nomsa Philiso, the director of local entertainment channels at M-Net, said the show “will take you on an emotional roller-coaster, one that invites viewers on a journey that will also help them find a place of solace through relatable content.
“Every week, the show will tackle different dynamics, and help the abandoned children ask questions like – did my mother or father love me? How do they go to bed knowing that I am out there? Did they ever try to find me or how will my life change when I find them?”
Through Mdabe’s guidance, “the show walks viewers through the delicate process of healing, offering a chance for forgiveness, and the restoration of family bonds”.
Private investigators, researchers, and the efforts of the Department of Home Affairs and the SAPS contribute to the searches for lost family members.
The show explores what the abandoned child has gone through, before Mdabe sets off to locate their parents to get them to respond to the child’s unanswered questions.
The final part of the show sees the host attempt to reunite the two in a physical or virtual meeting.
The new season of “Abandoned” on Mzansi Magic (DStv channel 161) starts on January 9 at 8pm.