All 4 Youth & Community Featuring Mohammed Zafran ‘Community Work’ can be extremely difficult and sometimes dangerous, but it is vital to the health of our societies and the individuals within them. It can take a powerful force of will
In order to make a lasting
for someone to tackle an issue
difference, Zaf contacted Mike
in their own community, and this
Hopkins - the principal of South
force of will can, unfortunately,
and City College - who granted
be formed out of great tragedy.
Zaf the use of the school’s facilities
In Birmingham, UK, an example
at weekends, for free. With
of this is found in Mohammed
this significant gift, he began
Zafran (known widely as ‘Zaf’).
organising sport and self defence
In 2010, Zaf’s sister was taken by
sessions in order to get youths
cancer at just 30 years old.
off the street and engage them
Instead of resenting the world
in useful activities. Word soon
around him, Zaf was motivated
spread and attracted likeminded
by this to start fundraising for
individuals who gave their time
hospitals. Then, a year later,
to volunteer. As his work grew, Zaf
tragedy entered the lives of Zaf
started an official organisation
and those around him once
called All 4 Youth & Community
again; his brother-in-law was the
in 2013, which has now helped
victim of a violent crime which
over 21,000 youths to find proper
resulted in his death. As before,
education and employment.
Zaf chose to do his best to turn these events into positive action, so he ventured out into parks and alleys to find groups of youths to try to set them on a better path despite their possible involvement in drugs and crime. There was a real risk of Zaf confronting the same people who had a hand in his brother-in-law’s murder… Even at this early stage, he was willing to risk his life for the betterment of his community.
42 Together we Inspire
