Leveling the field: How Nyota Katembo turned refugee roots into a rising soccer career
When Nyota Katembo steps onto the field, everything else fades away; the noise, the pressure, the weight of her past By Zeba Tasci in Ottawa, Canada On the pitch, she’s just a player chasing a ball. But off it, she’s become so much more: a role model, a sister, a...
‘We thought we would never sing again’: How Maryam Masoomi escaped the Taliban and rebuilt her life in Saskatoon
When the Taliban seized Kabul in August 2021, Maryam Masoomi was a university student who suddenly found herself helping lead the escape of more than 200 people—herself included. That experience now shapes her work with newcomer youth at the Saskatoon Open Door...
‘We made it!’ How soccer helped Farkhunda Muhtaj find her purpose
Farkhunda Muhtaj was officially the first player named to the roster of Calgary Wild FC, part of the new Northern Super League that launched in Canada in 2025. Number 10 plays midfield and she joined the Wild after captaining both her varsity team at York University...
A badge of hope: One former refugee’s mission to change lives and reimagine policing
When Mustafa Popalzai arrived in Canada as a 14-year-old refugee from Afghanistan, he had little more than hope. Today, the Toronto police Detective Constable is a driving force behind a grassroots initiative to change lives for thousands of newcomers, but also help...
Rooted again: How one woman rebuilt her life and found a family at Ottawa’s Carty House
When Pamella speaks about home, her voice carries both the pain of exile and the resilience of someone who has survived it. Originally from Burundi, Pamella never imagined that speaking out about women’s rights could cost her everything—but it nearly did. By Zeba...
From forced displacement to resilience: how artist Camilo Arias uses art as a path to healing and transformation
We sat down with Hope Away From Home artist Camilo Arias, whose personal journey through forced displacement has deeply shaped his creative process By Soo-Jung Kim in Ottawa, Canada On a snowy evening in Ottawa, far from his hometown in Colombia, Camilo Arias was...
Bridging cultures: Mandela Kuet’s Journey to Empower Winnipeg Youth
Mandela Kuet’s childhood in Winnipeg’s North End was shaped by the sights and sounds of a community deeply intertwined with both Indigenous and newcomer cultures. It was a place where the sense of family, culture, and community provided a foundation for...
From refugees to healthcare heroes: how Canada’s Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot is transforming lives
Through innovative programs like the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP), Canada is providing a lifeline to skilled refugees, while addressing crucial labour shortages at the same time By Soo-Jung Kim in Ottawa, Canada “Beginning from my academic journey, I was...