RED CARD IT!

Posted by Ardie In .

We all know about phone Apps. Millions of people around the world are threatening to throw their phone against the wall in anger as that last green pig on Angry Birds smirks at them through the screen. And we all know that the number of people who download and use apps every day is growing all of the time.

Step in Lashai Ben Salmi who sees apps as a way to make a change for those who are being bullied. The 11-year-old from London has experienced bullying first-hand, and even moved schools because it was getting so severe. Her confidence fell while being bullied, but Lashai found a new confidence through teaming up with her 7 year old brother and taking on projects. These included “My Journey: Giving youth several reasons to (((SMILE)))”, co-authoring “Kidz that DREAM BIG!”, and co-creating “Put the RED CARD up to bullying”. Lashai also set up and ran her own short story competition in year 6 which involved her approaching local businesses to offer prizes like book vouchers. Through her time working with others on these projects she found that plenty of people were going through similar things she went through when being bullied, which encouraged her to think of ways they could be helped.

Knowing that young people use smart phones and mobiles for communication every day she saw an opportunity to use this technology to offer those being bullied some advice, information, and a place where they feel less isolated by their situation. And since she knows the feeling of isolation that comes with being bullied, she thinks it could be exactly what someone else who is being bullied needs.

She has since won a Young Citizen Award and a Black Youth Achievements Award for her work. The app called “RED CARD IT!” is still in production but expected to be released in the next few months. Keep your eyes peeled!

Lashai was the youngest speaker at the ClearlySo conference last year.

Watch her 45-second pitch: