NPA | Youth

2011 | Jemy Mary Joseph

“As I went through the application for the Rhodes scholarship in 2009, it provided a huge opportunity to reflect on what defines me as a person today and how my presence will make a difference in this world. I was amazed at how strongly my childhood upbringing in Indian villages and Kuwait affected my values, ethics and outlook on life.

I am certain with every fibre of my being that the privilege of applying for the Rhodes scholarship would not have been possible if I was still living in India or Kuwait, due to gender and other cultural barriers. Therefore, I am extremely grateful for the freedom and opportunity that coming to Canada has offered me.”

2010 | Karar Jafar

Karar is an active member of the Dorset Park Youth Council and the Dorset Park Crisis Response Team and a Glamorgan Youth Animator. In addition to the 2010 New Pioneer Youth Award, Karar has also received the Dorset Park Community Builders Award. 

Karar works with these groups to organize events, mobilize resources, hold workshops and empower youth to make positive change. Recent initiatives include the construction of a Sport-Pad and Youth Lounge at the McGregor Community Centre. 

2009 | Mariatu Kamara

Mariatu is an inspirational young woman who exemplifies the best of humanity. Her memoir, The Bite of the Mango, co-written with her nominator Susan McClelland, tells the story of her life in Sierra Leone, her capture by rebel soldiers and how she came to live in Canada. 

Despite physical and emotional barriers, Mariatu manages to face each day optimistically. She is a student at George Brown College in the Assaulted Women and Children's Counsellor/Advocate Program. 

2008 | Ellen Xi Yang

When Ellen Xi Yang arrived in Toronto in 2003, her strength of character, resourcefulness and courage enabled her to overcome three significant barriers to settling in Canada: learning a new language, adapting to a new school, and integrating into Canadian culture. By working to overcome her own cultural barriers, Ellen has earned a broad base of friends across ethnicities.

She comments, “I am very fortunate to be living in a city like Toronto and to study at a high school that reflects the city’s multicultural nature. As a youth whose teenage life was dramatically transformed by immigrating to Canada, I am glad that I have successfully settled into Canada.”

2007 | Sadia Rafiquddin

In 1990, Sadia Rafiquddin and her family fled the religious persecution they had experienced in Pakistan and came to Canada as refugees. As an Ahmadi Muslim, Ms. Rafiquddin is determined to increase people’s understanding and tolerance of the Ahmadiyya community.

She loves Canada for the freedom and opportunity which she otherwise would have been denied as an Ahmadi Muslim woman in Pakistan. “If there is one thing I treasure most after my family, it's my Canadian citizenship and education.”

2006 | Sharaangabo Ntare Patrick

Sharangabo survived the genocide in Rwanda after being wounded and left for dead in a mass grave. His father and uncle had been killed in an attack when Sharangabo was 13 years old. He has connected with the Rwandan community living in Toronto, most of whom have lost their families during the slaughter.

Sharangabo helps youth deal with the consequences of the genocide by offering them comfort, support and understanding. In addition, he teaches Rwandan traditional dance and language to Rwandan children. He gives speeches and talks on the genocide in high schools, community centres and colleges.

2005 | Edona Besnick Çaku

Edona founded the Friends of Albania Student Association at the University of Toronto. The group’s mandate is to attract students from different backgrounds to undertake humanitarian projects in Albania. One of her remarkable initiatives was to send 4000 books (donated by the Friends of Toronto Reference Library) to a library in Albania with  the support of the Herbert H. Carnegie Future Aces Foundation. 

Edona a lead organizer of the Future Aces Youth Leadership Conference. She is a Science for Peace board member. Her volunteer work include Toronto Western Hospital, West Park Health Care Centre, St. Michael’s Hospital, and the United Nations – Toronto Branch and the International Holistic Tourism Education Centre.

2004 | Shirley Zeng

In 2003, Zeng became the School Champion of Fermat Waterloo Mathematics Contest and in 2002 received the Junior Mathematics League Certificate of Achievement. In 2001, she won the grade nine Achievement Award and in 1999, the popular Chinese newspaper, World Journal, presented her with the Outstanding Achievement Certificate. In her first year in Canada, she was honoured as the Student of the Year by her elementary school – Pauline Public School. 

Her life in Canada has been one of financial hardship; however, is an active and engaged community member and volunteer, tutor, mentor and is a model of academic excellence.

2003 | Azim Lila

Azim champions the cause of students living with disability. Two years ago, with support from York University, he founded the Support to Learning Disabled Students and Launching Disability Support that encourages young students with disabilities to set high education goals and achieve them despite setbacks. 

Azim also established the Ontario Power Generation Scholarship at York University for students who are disabled, women, minorities or aboriginal.

2002 | Kevin King

Jamaican born, Kevin King came to Canada to live with his mother when he was 13 years old leaving behind his grandparents who had brought him up. As this was only the second time he had met his mother, he found it difficult to bond with her and to adapt to a new culture and new environment.

 A friend’s violent death made Kevin realize that his life needed to change. As he became more interested in his surroundings, he noticed many students came to school hungry, some were suspended almost every second week, and several came to school just to play basketball.

He ran for and was elected to the student council where he was instrumental in making several changes. For the first time in the history of the North Albion Collegiate Institute, students had a breakfast club, two school dances, and other new activities to help revive their spirits.

2001 | Subajini Mahalingham

Sri Lanka born Subajini Mahalingham lived with her parents in Bahrain before immigrating to Canada in 1992 at the age of 14. Today, this young honours science student at University of Toronto’s Trinity College, is a role model to her community.

Almost immediately upon her arrival, Suba became acquainted with the prevailing stereotypical images of the young Tamil population in Toronto. Her initial reaction of anger and confusion led her to research the history of Tamils who had moved to the Greater Toronto Area in the last ten years. This resulted in her commitment to effecting change. She joined the Canadian Tamil Youth Development Centre and launched Project THAMIL (Tamils Helping and Motivating to Inspire Leadership).

2000 | Carla Rosario

In 1997 at the age of 17, Carla Rosario left her home in Peru and joined her father in Canada to pursue her education. Despite the challenges and stresses of her new life, Carla’s positive spirit and determination have prevailed. This attitude is demonstrated by her academic accomplishments and her community involvement.

Her record of academic excellence has not only been demonstrated by her quick mastery of the English language, but is also apparent in almost every area of her studies. She has received numerous awards, most notably in Biology and Mathematics.

1999 | Maral Nadjafi

Maral Nadjafi, her mother and younger brother arrived in Canada from Iran in October 1995. Their journey to Canada included traveling through many countries. Like many new immigrants who first landed in Canada, Maral and her family faced challenges in their new country.

To meet the challenges of her new life, she focused on learning English, studying text books by referencing a translation dictionary at the same time, and involved herself in school activities. While still in Grade 11, Maral also received the Warner Lambert award for OAC calculus.

Maral enjoys her exposure to new cultures. She gets involved in many multicultural projects and is an active volunteer in her community.

1998 | Dany-Claire Nkerarnihigo

In 1997, at the age of 17, Dany-Claire fled the political and social upheaval of Burundi and arrived in Canada with her younger sister. Leaving the support of their family and friends, Dany-Claire and her sister faced a new and different culture.

Fluent in French but with limited English, she studied full-time at Le Collège Français and enrolled in outside classes to improve her ability to read and write in English. She also became active in a Burundi-Rwanda cultural group to ensure her heritage would also be part of her life in Canada.

Dany-Claire wrote about her experiences as a New Canadian in an article entitled Integration to a New Life in Toronto published by L'Expresse. This brought her to the attention of Prime Minister Jean Chretien, who spoke with her at a luncheon hosted by the Canadian Club.

1997 | Léonie Tchatat

Léonie arrived in Toronto in 1990 as a visa student. Soon after her arrival, Léonie’s father was imprisoned in her native Cameroon, Africa for his political beliefs. With these conditions of political uncertainty Léonie applied for refugee status.

Fluent in French, Léonie studied English while attending French high school at Jarvis Collegiate and living with her sister. She experienced culture shock and racism at school and in the community and, lacking her familiar supportive family environment she eventually ended up living in a group home.

Based on her experience in 1993 Léonie formed a non-profit Francophone youth organization called "Le Groupe Jeunesse Francophone de Toronto" to provide support to other young newcomers to assist with their integration. She has served as president and was instrumental in securing funding for a number of community projects which address the needs of African Francophone youth, including a project which resulted in employment for 20 youths in the Francophone community.

1996 | Mary Atputhakumar

As a leader in The Inner School Christian Fellowship and member of the Anti-Racism Clubs at Richview, Mary fosters awareness about the need for unity and cultural understanding among students. She tutors children at the Braeburn Center, which provides social and educational programs for children, youth and their families, and is an active volunteer with many charities, including Etobicoke General Hospital and with the Society of the Aid for Ceylon Minorities in Canada.

Mary was 14 when her mother obtained a Minister’s Permit for the family to leave Sri Lanka and apply for refugee status in Canada. She had limited English and started school six days after arriving in Toronto. Facing numerous cultural barriers, Mary learned English by reading books and watching Polka Dot Door. 

During her first years at Elmbank Middle School in Toronto, Mary received the New Canadian Citizenship Award for her contributions at school. As a high school student at Richview Collegiate in Toronto, Mary has obtained honour standing every year, was  on the track and field team, president of the multicultural club, and editor of the school year book. 

1995 | Andil Gosine

Andil served as Chair of the BES students’ organization and founded Third World First, a pro-equity group dedicated to promotion of Third World issues and organization of aid projects. He was the Communications Director for the Ontario Public Interest Research Group, with work focusing on the advancement of the rights of women and people of colour. Previously, as an Editor of York University’s Excalibur and a columnist for the Oshawa Times, Andil wrote extensively on immigrant issues.

Originally from Trinidad and Tobago, Andil encountered some challenges in adjusting to Canada. He persevered and in his first year he received the Durham Board of Education/OSSTF Award of Personal Excellence for his ability to overcome barriers and successfully adapt to a new country.

Andil double-majored in Environmental Studies and Latin American and Caribbean Studies at York University. He also obtained a certificate in Refugee and Migration Studies. Andil entered York on the first President’s Scholarship to be awarded in the faculty of Environmental Studies. 

1994 | Carlos Peña

In addition to the 1994 New Pioneers Youth Award, Carlos received the Archbishop Romero General Excellence and Proficiency Award, a top school award. He  also received the Governor General’s Award, a provincial medal for academic excellence.

Carlos came to Canada with his family in 1991 at age 15. He witnessed many acts of violence in El Salvador including the violent shooting of his father. When he arrived in Canada, he spoke no English and initially experienced discrimination and prejudice.

Excelling both academically and personally, Carlos quickly achieved an excellent command of the English language and translated for his family. Carlos is extremely outgoing and committed to bettering his community.

He is a leader in many activities and clubs. He organized a tri-school program which promotes awareness of and raises funds for developmental projects in El Salvador. Carlos helps students as a peer tutor and counsellor. He volunteers at Davenport Perth Centre in the seniors’ program and  logged more than 300 hours of service helping seniors achieve greater autonomy and independence.