Zayn Malik is sending a personal message to the British government on behalf of fellow parents.
The former One Direction member penned a heartfelt letter to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, asking the politician to "act in good conscience" and allocate funds for free school meals for children living in poverty by the Nov. 17 budget deadline. The issue is close to Malik, 29, who grew up in Bradford and "relied on Free School Meals," he wrote.
"I know what that shame feels like, I have seen it first hand, I personally experienced the stigma surrounding food insecurity," the singer shared in his Nov. 7 letter. "My hope is that in writing this letter we can all ensure that no child ever has to experience this hunger and stigma again as my experience is not unique; it is a struggle that many children in England are sadly going through right now."
Malik, who welcomed daughter Khai with ex Gigi Hadid in 2020, knows the importance of taking care of family. As he wrote, "Knowing that their children are getting a good lunch at school would be a huge relief to parents who are struggling."
He added, "No parent should have to make impossible decisions like whether to buy food, turn on the heating, or go into debt."
The "Pillowtalk" singer stressed in his letter the importance of protecting children's physical and mental health, which is a message seems to resonate with the musician after he and Hadid took steps to peacefully co-parent their daughter after their 2021 split.
In this case, Malik wrote, having school lunches would allow children to "stop children from enduring the worst of the cost-of-living crisis which in turn only creates bigger divides between the richest and poorest."
"Free School Meals are such a big help for the poorest children in our society and they guarantee a reliably hot, nutritious lunch every day at school," Malik added, "so children can thrive rather than worrying about where their next meal comes from."
