Oreime | ZULAIKHA PATEL

Zulaikha Patel is a twenty-two year-old activist, author, and her father’s daughter who became famous in 2016. Her fame came because of her anti-racist protest against the authorities of her school. One day in school at the age of thirteen, Zulaikha had had it with segregation and bullying. And the little girl decided to stand up to the school authorities whose hair rules were racist.

HOW IT STARTED :-

South Africa’s Zulaikha Patel is a beautiful, mixed-race girl with really big, beautiful, curly afro hair. And from infancy, her hair has been that beautiful. However, by the time she was old enough, she was forced to suffer bullying because of her hair. Her school mates made her conscious of it and made her miserable because of it.

So when she resumed in a former racist school, she realized that the school was still racist because of their rules and regulations. In fact, it was not just fellow school mates making her miserable; the school also did. How on earth was she going to change her natural hair because the school rules disapproved? She was not even allowed to speak her native tongue at recess!

Therefore, something had to give and it was not going to be Zulaikha. So, she braved it and started an open protest with her other two friends in August 2016. That protest by this young girl went viral, ladies and gentlemen. Other parents in other cities in South Africa protested about such schools around them.

Of course Zulaikha Patel’s father, her main support and guide was cheering her on. “You have braved it and made your voice heard, you must continue to stand for what you believe in, no matter what.” Thus our young activist was born.

HOW IT IS GOING:-

Thus since little Ms. Patel rose against oppression almost ten years ago, she has had to be the voice of violence against women, the sanity of the environment and everything else that has to be straightened out.

Though speaking out against racism has earned her several death threats, it has also earned her several awards and recognition. And of course caused her to author two powerful books for children. Here is a brief peek into her journey so far.

VICTORIES:

Though her heart broke when she lost her beloved father at only sixteen years old, she is fired up to let her light shine. Her first book, “My Coily Crowny Hair” hit the shelves in 2021. It is a biography of her life which children and adults alike can read and relate with. And her latest book, “Brave Like Me” was launched a week ago.

Apart from authoring two best-selling books, she has BRICS SCO YOUNG LEADER award. Plus Zulaikha is studying Law at the University of South Africa. And the United Nations honoured her as a human rights activist.

Closing:-

Finally, we see that Ms. Patel is doing an amazing job of making her precious father proud. And like she says, legacy is not in the past, every day you leave and live a legacy. Fighting for and standing up for what is right is her calling. No one is too small.