Social worker pens 'coronavirus poem' to pay tribute to professionals

A ‘coronavirus poem’ celebrating the efforts of health and care professionals to support people during the pandemic has been produced by a social worker.

‘Together we can’ was written by Ellah Kandi and has been posted on Youtube to music and images by the DMU Gospel Choir which reached the semi-final of Britain’s Got Talent in 2018.

Ellah, a newly qualified social worker working with adults in Leicester, said she was inspired to write the poem after seeing the tireless efforts of colleagues to deliver care during the national crisis.

“The news is full of doom and gloom so I wanted to provide some encouragement for all the professionals and all the people involved,” she said.

“I wrote the words with that in mind. Despite all that is going on we are working together rather than against each other for the same purpose – to safeguard vulnerable people.”

While celebrating all caring professions, the poem has a distinctly social work emphasis. It refers to upholding social justice, empowering people, building relationships and avoiding seeing problems as “individual deficiency”.

Ellah said writing helps her make sense of her experiences. “I understand things better when I write. It helps me explain what’s going on.”

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