There are several hundred charity organisations in New Zealand helping different sections of the community who are facing poverty, mental health and financial issues, suffer elder abuse, homelessness etc.
One such organisation, Bread Foundation has taken the initiative of helping children in poverty achieve their goals and inspire them using music, mentorship, gaming and luxury sports cars.
Million dollar supercar at Avondale Intermediate School
Bread Foundation was established by Mustafa Sheikh, also known as 'Mussie' from Gisborne at the age of 22 and so far has been able to help over 70 students mentoring them individually over the last few years.
Bread's modus operandi holding charity fundraisers is different than most of the charity organisations in New Zealand.
A unique way of raising funds is by hosting supercar events and rallies where drivers and owners of supercars (such as Lamborghinis, Ferraris and McLarens) pay a certain sum to Bread to enter the rally, which 100% goes forward to the needy in the community.
Car Rally at show in Auckland CBD
"Running a charity is harder than running a business because here money does not come for a commodity but for emotions," Mussie told The Indian Weekender.
Mussie adds that during the Covid-19 pandemic in the country and with restrictions on gathering- Mussie organised a video gaming challenge 'Call of Duty' with Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and UFC fighter Shane Young, for $1000.
The loser of e-war will offer the sum to Bread Charity, the proceeds of which went to a family in Gisborne suffering from lack of resources during Covid-19 lockdown.
Student on the left Nehe, Mussie on the right
"I called Shane for this battle of wars on a video game, the spoils of which would go to charity instead of being pocketed by the winner. Under the rules of the game, I loosened $1000, contact the mayor of Gisborne and helped a family benefit via Bread Charity," Mussie said.
Mussie moved to New Zealand with his family from London at the age of five and completed his schooling in Gisborne. Mussie says, he came from a reasonably well to do family, but he saw most of his friends then coming to school without proper uniform, sometimes shoes, rain jackets and at times even food.
Back then, it felt normal to him until he moved to Auckland four years ago and realised how much families are affected by poverty and somehow spend their lives accepting the fact and living through it.
“Having grown up in a low socio-economic environment, inequalities are the norm as that's all we know. I started Bread Charity to do my part, whatever I can, no matter how minute and help the families and the community- not just with money but by inspiring them to grow and work and achieve their dreams. It's a responsibility I owe to my people” Mussie adds.
One of the most effective ways of doing charity besides raising funds through supercar rallies and races was to mentor students and make them create, realise and follow their dreams via personal mentorship.
"For now, we are working with a school in Avondale and Wesley school in Sandringham where we select nine students and mentor them on a weekly basis for six months at a time- helping them realise what they would want to do in their life, be it sports, academics, vocational, any other talents they wish to explore.
Artwork of Lil Mussie's single song 'How about you?'
"At the end of the mentorship provide them with sports kits, jersey, shoes and whatever necessary to help practice and pursue their dreams," Mussie said.
Bread Charity has also developed a program called Uniform Fund and allocated $3000 for each of two schools to help needy students with uniform and gear they need for regular schooling.
"Be it cardigans, jersey, shoes, stationaries etc. we can help such students who are deprived of essential schooling items and needs. We contact the teacher who will let us know what is needed by which students and we can arrange for them under the funds allocated for the individual schools.
"Schools are for children to learn and enjoy and not for them to worry about uniform, food and basic necessities and through this initiative "uniform Fund', we can help the ones in need," Mussie added.
Bread Charity earlier this year took a Lamborghini Aventador SVJ supercar worth $1,000,000 to a school for students to see and inspire them to achieve a dream, even as big as owning a luxury supercar someday.
"Children are creative thinkers. They believe in aliens, they believe in Santa, they believe in superheroes. A car which literally started as a dream on a piece of paper. We show the children this car and say now, that is what a dream can accomplish, let's rework your personal goals to aim higher because we just showed you what is possible. It's not a matter of illustrating material value to these children.
"We will sit down and teach children about goal setting, university study, positive thinking. We want to show these children that they can achieve anything they want in life," Mussie added.
Police escorting the supercars for the show in Auckland CBD
Mussie, a musician and rapper known as “Lil Mussie” released a single 'How About You?', a song that focusses on the commitment of giving, of community-building, and of judgement by others.
The audio released on streaming platforms Spotify and SoundCloud have over 45,000 and 500,000 plays on those platforms respectively.