Zulaikha Patel came to prominence for leading a silent march at Pretoria Girls High, at the age of 14, fighting for the recognition of African Hair and the discrimination against those with certain types of hairstyles. She currently runs an NPC, founded in 2022, called Dare To Change - with the mission to eliminate the poverty of literacy, that children in South Africa face. Founded after the release of her debut best-selling book , “My Coily Crowny Hair”. She engages in advisory work on youth development , the advancement of women and girls within various organisations and continues to advocate and speak publicly, both locally and internationally. She is currently studying towards an LLB law degree via UNISA.