As if making it as a DJ in the music industry isn’t challenging enough, 11-year-old DJ Zel is also using her profile to raise money to combat poverty in her local Newham community.
Her initiative stems from seeing those around her struggling financially during the pandemic, and so on her 11th birthday in February she launched her 11 for 11 Just Giving crowd funder campaign via Insta Live to help tackle food and education poverty in her borough.
The impact of Covid-19 on Newham, which is one of the most deprived boroughs of London, has been catastrophic. In the first wave of the pandemic Newham recorded the highest mortality rate for Covid-19 in London, England and Wales.
On a Newham Council web page tracing the impact of Covid-19 on families in Newham, Jason Strelitz Director of Public Health points out that “Newham’s residents have been disproportionately and unjustly affected” by the pandemic.
On the 11 for 11 page, the multi award winning DJ shares the following personal message: “I decided to give back to my community Newham – the second poorest borough in England, by raising £11,000 to tackle food and education poverty. Half of the children in my community live in poverty. Some of my friends have told me how hard it is for them to afford the simplest things. Some of my friends have told me how hard it is for them to afford the simplest things.”
To help DJ Zel reach her target, click ‘Donate Now’ here.