The Pathy Foundation Fellowship is thrilled to welcome eleven young leaders from across Canada to the 2026-27 Cohort.
These incoming Fellows represent a cohort of Canada’s exceptional changemakers. Upon completing their university studies, the Cohort will gather at Coady Institute in Antigonish, Nova Scotia to participate in core training that will prepare them for ten-months of community-based learning and initiative implementation. Fellows will work with community partners to implement a broad diversity of initiatives, from strengthening food security, to enhancing education, to improving postpartum mental health outcomes, and more.
The Pathy Foundation Fellowship provides community-focused experiential learning opportunities for graduating students from across Canada. Applicants submit a proposal to work alongside a community with which they have a meaningful and pre-existing connection to develop and implement an initiative addressing a community priority. The Pathy Family Foundation supports each Fellow with $50,000 in funding as they spend their year fostering sustainable and positive social change in Canada and around the world.
It is our pleasure to introduce the Pathy Foundation Fellows of Cohort 11.
Kelvin Doe (Toronto Metropolitan University)
Accelerate STEAM Education in Regent Park; Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Kelvin will dedicate his Fellowship year to enhancing STEAM learning in Regent Park, enabling learners of all ages to explore and succeed in STEAM careers.
“Regent Park is my home,” says Kelvin. “Living and working here, I see myself in these young people and the barriers they face. Gaps in representation, accessibility, and engagement mean far too few are gaining the skills and confidence needed to thrive in STEAM fields.”
Kiara Gibbs-Cawker (Carleton University)
She Leads: Elevating Black Women’s Voice; Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Kiara’s initiative will focus on establishing a leadership and mentorship program empowering young Black women through identity-centred workshops, professional development, and community building to strengthen future leaders.
Kiara is looking forward to “building meaningful relationships and creating a space where young Black women and grow in confidence, leadership, and connection.” She adds, “This year is an opportunity to build something intentional and impactful, and I’m excited to see how it grows and continues beyond the Fellowship.”
Muram Idris (Concordia University)
Breaking Barriers Through Youth Community Filmmaking; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
“I am a filmmaker, and I always strive to make change with my work,” Muram shares. “I want to strengthen community identity amongst the youth, our future leaders. Seeing the support offered by the Pathy Fellowship, I knew it would be a great fit for my initiative and myself”.
Muram’s filmmaking initiative will work to empower marginalized youth (12-18) to explore identity, challenge media misrepresentations, spark dialogue on race, class, and gender, and express creativity.
Madina Mashkoori (Carleton University)
Empowering Youth Through Capacity Building; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Madina will establish a capacity-building program aimed at helping newcomer and vulnerable youth build confidence, develop leadership skills, and access resources to shape their futures and strengthen belonging.
“I am looking forward to working alongside youth to co-create and implement a program that reflects their needs and experiences,” Madina says. “The Fellowship provides and opportunity to design and implement an initiative while engaging deeply with the community.”
Maimouna Mbengue (McGill University)
Fadj Ak Yeurmande – Healing With Compassion: Senegal Postpartum Depression Prevention; Dakar, Senegal
During the Fellowship year, Maimouna will lead a community-centred initiative preventing and addressing postpartum depression through culturally grounded wellness circles, peer-led support groups, and integrated mental health services.
Maimouna says she applied to the Pathy Fellowship because it would offer training, skills, mentorship, and funding to turn her vision into a reality. “Beyond the initiative itself, it is a profound professional development opportunity, with every element of the Fellowship contributing to development me into a true changemaker,” she adds.
Mikal Nazarani (McGill University)
Worlds Within Words: A Parc-Ex Storytelling Initiative; Montreal, Quebec, Canada
“I applied to the Pathy Fellowship because I felt it offered a rare structure where community-rooted ideas are tested, supported, and sustained through mentorship and participation,” Mikal shares. “It maintains accountability while honouring local knowledge, community, and impact.”
Through a partnership with Brique par Brique, Mikal will co-create a storytelling ecosystem in Parc-Extension. The initiative seeks to nurture youth literacy and creativity, celebrate multilingual expression, and reclaim narrative space for racialized communities.
Farifta Rahman (University of Toronto)
Rising South; Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Farifta will work to create a culturally safe space for South Asian women to access accurate sexual health information, challenge stigma, and advocate for equitable healthcare with community-led support.
“I’m excited to engage directly with participants, facilitate conversations that are often avoided, and see how trust develops over time,” Farifta says. “My initiative addresses deeply rooted cultural issues, and I knew I needed guidance to approach it responsibly and effectively. Pathy provides the structure and support to not only implement this work, but to grow into a leader capable of sustaining it beyond the Fellowship.”
Amina Saher (University of Toronto)
Rexdale Community Kitchen; Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada
“Food is a basic human right, and it is important to me that members of my community have dignified access to safe, nutritious, and culturally inclusive food,” says Amina. “I am excited by the possibility of creating a space where people can come together to cook, share stories, exchange knowledge, and build a sense of connection and belonging.”
Amina’s initiative will establish a community kitchen that offers belonging, storytelling, and collective care through shared nourishment for refugee families living in transitional housing within the Rexdale community.
Iriza Stessy (University of Toronto)
Refugee Youth Empowerment Through Education; Nairobi City, Nairobi County, Kenya
Iriza will spend her Fellowship year mentoring and supporting refugee students to stay in school, access opportunities, and see education as a path to empowerment and community transformation.
“Refugee students face disrupted education, limited resources, and uncertainty about their future. Having experienced these challenges, I am committed to creating pathways for others to succeed,” Iriza shares. “Most importantly, I am eager to make a meaningful difference by empowering young people, supporting their education, and contributing to lasting, positive change in my community.”
Elyas Yari (University of Western Ontario)
Digital Pathways; Vahdat, Tajikistan
Elyas’s initiative will centre on creating a learning network for Afghan refugee youth to regain acess to education, build leadership skills, and connect with mentors while awaiting resettlement.
“I applied for the Pathy Foundation Fellowship because it reflects the kind of leadership I believe in—grounded in empathy, community, and shared learning,” says Elyas. “My own journey has shown me that meaningful change comes from lived experience and relationships, not top-down solutions. The Fellowship offers a rare opportunity to work closely with a community, learn alongside them, and turn an idea into something real and impactful.”
Bill Zheng (University of Calgary)
Unseen City; Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Bill’s initiative will bring people together through digital storytelling and public film screenings. It also embeds lived-experience stories into education for human-service professionals.
“I am looking forward to meeting like-minded peers, having access to tailored, structured learnings during FCC. I am also very much looking forward to having a year for me to focus on this initiative, bringing my deep passion for the art and storytelling space and connecting them to the community I’ve been so closely involved in,” Bill shares. “I am truly drawn to the Pathy Fellowship because of the amazing things I’ve heard from past fellows – including the hyper-curated content and mentors that the Pathy fellowship pairs me up with throughout the fellowship year.”