Beat The Odds Foundation Beat The Odds helps secondary students to feel bold and optimistic about their futures through music (drumming), sports (boxing) and mentoring.
VIDEO Beat The Odds is a not for profit social enterprise set up by Cosimo Keita to help disadvantaged children and young adults in South London to use music and sport to create a positive future for themselves and provide them with the skills to be positive forces within their community.
Dream Big is our flagship programme designed to engage and support teenagers who are at risk or disengaged in their education or futures. Drumming and boxing are two of the most accessible music and sports disciplines. Both require discipline and focus but yield almost instant results as participants are able to progress immediately, boosting self-esteem and a sense of achievement. Furthermore, there is a general shortage of drummers in bands, so participants develop a valuable skill that does not require them to read music but can lead to a lucrative career path after just a few months of training.
Our founder and lead mentor Cosimo grew up in a single parent home in Italy and discovered the drums and boxing as a teenager when he was struggling to understand what he would do after school. Fast forward to today, and Cosimo is a successful professional drummer who has supported Usher, Shakira, Ricky Martin, Nelly Furtado and Mariah Carey amongst others. Cosimo also trains regularly using boxing to keep fit and maintain a positive attitude. And over the last few years, he has tutored and mentored over 50 children across London.
This fun intervention consists of a series of lessons in drumming and boxing, infused with empowering and impactful life-skills coaching and mentoring.