Mali James, aged 10, trying to change the world for Black and Mixed Race British People Mali James, a young mixed race g...

Mali James, aged 10, trying to change the world for Black and Mixed Race British People Mali James, a young mixed race girl from Cambridgeshire UK, is fundraising for Djembe Kingdom – a new community interest company that aims to offer funded places on their heritage trips to British people of African descent who are in financial hardship. Life this far, has not been easy for Mali. She has always struggled with anxiety and depression and has faced many a tough time with a dif...ficult life at home. At just 10 years old, she has been through things that most children never have to face. Like many mixed race people in the UK, Mali has never felt like she fitted anywhere. She attends a school where the student body is about 95% white, lives in an area that is about 95% white and has already endured many ignorant comments, bigotry and racism. Before Mali visited Cote d’Ivoire, she was in the depths of despair and held little hope for what life would bring for her. Mali’s mum, Becky, asked her if she would like to come with her to Abidjan as soon as restrictions allowed following the coronavirus lockdown. Becky had been on a Djembe Kingdom Trip in January 2020 and returned to the UK knowing in her heart that it was everything Mali needed. The moment that Becky asked her, Mali felt a spark of something inside her that was unfamiliar to her – hope. The family took their trip in October 2021. Mali had never been on a plane. She loved it, but her anxiety crept in about half way there and she started to worry about what people would think of her there and whether they would like her. Becky could only reassure her that everybody would love her, that they already loved her – because she knew from her previous trip that the family they were staying with have nothing but love in their hearts. And that their culture means that if they love you, they love your children. Mali felt a little bit better, but she could never have imagined what her mum meant, or how it would make her feel, until she experienced it for herself. Mali was transformed almost instantly as soon as they arrived in Abidjan. She says she felt peace descend upon her the closer she got to Africa. They were barely there, just walking from the airport to the car, when Mali said ‘I feel like I’ve come home’. She could barely contain her excitement in the car ride from the airport. She just kept saying over and over ‘I love it here. I love it here’. And her experience had barely begun. When they arrived at the Dembele family home, she was immediately swept up in and surrounded by love. There was a buzz of excitement as the whole family gathered to welcome her. She had never felt so accepted. Mali spent the next week immersed in West African culture. The Dembele Family are West African griots, well-respected pillars of the community – oral historians who hand down ancient wisdom through music, story telling a poetry. It was an incredible honour to be welcomed by them and to be made a part of the family. It’s one thing to learn about African roots and culture, through the wonder of music and story-telling in the UK, but quite another to engulf yourself in the continent from which this culture came – a culture that has been lost to you, due to a history that you had no say in. Mali learnt so much. She laughed, she danced, she sang, she practised West African drumming, she ate SO well every single day – many times a day! She visited the beach, which she called paradise. She built relationships that will last a life time, with people who look like and carry themselves the same way she does. The smile never left her face the entire time she was there. It was a stark contrast to the way she is in the UK, where she battles every day just to get out of bed. Mali had this to say of her time in Abidjan, ‘My whole life I've felt as if I have been out of place, I struggle with mental disabilities and have always known I wasn’t myself. This all seemed to change when I got to Abidjan. My whole life changed and I believe this has changed me and who I am. Africa is now a part of me that I thought I would never find, and I will never let go of that again. This trip saved me and I believe it could save so many others as well. Africa holds some sort of power, full of love and joy. I really think it can change lives, cure sadness, depression, anxiety. It can replace all that with happiness, love, and hope. The spirit of Africa doesn’t leave you’. Mid way through her trip, she got very upset when she told her mum that she didn’t think it was fair that there were so many black and mixed race people in the UK who struggled just like she did, that could never afford the opportunity to go to Africa and find their happiness. Her mum told her about the Djembe Kingdom Dream Trip project and what they were trying to do and Mali decided she wanted to make a video sharing her experience to try and raise funds for the project when she got home. Mali made and edited the video all by herself and has currently raised an amazing 724 GBP. But she won’t stop there. When this fundraiser ends she has so many more planned. She’s inspired, and the confidence she’s gained from all the wonderful donations, likes and comments on her video is so very heart warming. This little girl’s life has been changed by her experience, and after everything she’s been through, she wants to help people just like her. Djembe Kingdom has 15 places available on their Dream Trip and is able to run 2 trips per year, in November and January. That’s 30 lives they could change annually. They’ve been successfully running these trips privately for two years. It’s a two week long internship in traditional West African music and dance. They also arrange excursions on this trip, like visiting the Banco National Park, Grand Bassam and a traditional djembe factory where you can see the drums being made. Having witnessed each and every participant have a life changing experience, they’d now like to make more impactful change, by offering funded places to people who could never dream of going. It will cost 2000 GBP per person for a funded place, that covers passports, flights, airport transfers, yellow fever vaccines, accommodation, food, teaching, excursions and admin. Thanks to Mali, they’re nearly half way to being able to offer one free place on the next trip. Check out her video below and if you feel you’d like to get involved in any way, whether that’s to offer support or to register your interest in a funded place then please get in touch with manager@sidikidjembe.org. For more information on the trips, please visit www.sidikidjembe.org.