Nizaam Carr needs your help.
The Cape Flats Springbok is on a mission to raise much-needed funds for an old age home in Wynberg and is calling on Capetonians to lend a helping hand.
Last week Carr, 27, released a video on social media where he called on the public to help him with a challenge by Crescent Lifestyle in which the celebrity with the most votes gets R50 000 for their charity of choice.
Nizaam, who grew up in Mitchells Plain, is currently in England playing for Wasps.
He has selected the Beit-ul-Aman Old Age Home as his charity.
He says Crescent Lifestyle, an Islamic lifestyle app, chose South African celebrities with close ties to their communities to help raise funds for needy organisations.
Nizaam is competing against Fehmz, a lifestyle blogger from Johannesburg, and Raeesa, a fitness blogger from Durban, for the top spot.
“I chose Beit-ul-Aman because the elderly have a very special place in all of our hearts,” he tells the Daily Voice.
“We all have grannies or grandpas or uncles or aunts that we hold very dear and Beit-ul-Aman is doing a fantastic job in caring for our elderly. It’s also their 40th anniversary so I thought it would be nice if they won R50 000 this year.”
Nizaam released his video on 20 November. It has received hundreds of shares on social media, and he says he was amazed by the response.
“I am surprised, but also very happy that people are responding,” he says.
“It shows me that they have a special place in their hearts for the elderly too.
“I would really like to see that R50 000 we win put smiles on the faces of the elderly at Beit-ul-Aman. Some of them might not have had good lives, but we have the ability to make their twilight years a lot better.”
HAVEN: Beit-ul-Aman is the charity of choice of Nizaam Carr
Beit-ul-Aman spokesperson Naadir Agherdien says the home cares for 59 residents and after receiving government grants, it has a monthly shortfall of R4 000 for each resident.
“To make up the shortfall, we must rely on the public and this R50 000 will go a long way to covering that,” says Agherdien. “We are very excited about Nizaam’s initiative and it says a lot about his upbringing.”
To help Nizaam and Beit-ul-Aman, download the app on http://tinyurl.com/k73czwz and then SMS “Carr” to 32679. Deadline for voting is Friday at 2pm.