Eureka Fellowship
In partnership, AstraZeneca Canada and Plan International Canada introduced The Eureka Fellowship for Youth Changemakers in Canada (Eureka Fellowship) in 2024 to spotlight and amplify the impact of inspiring young leaders from across Canada who are tackling some of the most pressing sustainability issues of our time for the health of people, society and the planet.
We are pleased to share more on the young sustainability visionaries who have been named to the 2025 – 2026 Eureka Fellowship. This class of Eureka Fellows have been selected for their outstanding efforts to build a healthier, more equitable world and will receive support to amplify their sustainability impact.
Learn more about these inspiring young leaders below.
2025 - 2026 Eureka Fellows
Tori Ford (Beaconsfield, Quebec)
<p><em>Founder, Medical Herstory</em></p><p>Tori is a health equity advocate and feminist researcher working to rewrite the script on gendered healthcare.</p><p>After years of navigating chronic vulval pain and medical dismissal, she founded Medical Herstory, a non-profit advancing gender health equity through storytelling, education, and advocacy. Since 2019, the movement has reached more than 10,000 people, trained 300+ volunteers, and published 40+ patient narratives. Tori has raised $1M+ for patient-led research and her work is recognized by UN Women, Women of Influence, and Glamour.</p><p>Her latest initiative, Rewrite the Script, trains youth advocates to lead inclusive healthcare reform and will reach more than 1,000 peers. Through bold storytelling and systems change, Tori is redefining what equitable care can look like.</p> <p><a href="https://medicalherstory.com/" target="_blank" class="button button--primary"><span>Learn more about Medical Herstory on their website</span></a></p>
Aish Mann (Vancouver, British Columbia)
<p><em>Founder, Tanah Air Project</em></p><p>Aish is a climate justice advocate and founder of the Tanah Air Project, a newcomer-led non-profit building climate and health equity through belonging. Her lived experience as a racialized migrant informs her mission to reframe immigrants not just as recipients of climate policy, but as leaders shaping it.</p><p>Through the Tanah Air Project, she facilitates workshops, community storytelling, and systems-focused policy work to support newcomers’ mental health, ecological knowledge, and cultural leadership.</p><p>The project offers climate literacy grounded in lived experience, arts-based dialogue, and the “Green Stream” campaign—a proposal for an immigration pathway that recognizes migrants' contributions to climate action.</p><p>As a Eureka Fellow, Aish will train more than 150 newcomer youth, engage 500+ participants globally, and co-create a community-led policy brief by 2026. </p><p><a href="https://tanahairproject.org" target="_blank" class="button button--primary"><span>Learn more about the Tanah Air Project on their website</span></a></p>
Artash Nath (Toronto, Ontario)
<p><em>Founder, You-Oceans.com</em></p><p>Artash is the Founder of You-Oceans.com, a non-profit that uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) and sound recordings from underwater microphones (hydrophones) to monitor endangered marine mammals and reduce underwater noise pollution.</p><p>After immigrating to Canada from rural Switzerland at age three, his passion for public-interest science was shaped in Toronto’s libraries and community centres. Artash has presented at the UN Ocean Conference, ArcticNet, and EarthEcho’s Youth Council, and engaged more than 1,000 youth in 50 countries. His work bridges science, AI, and policy through collaborations with Ocean Networks Canada, Natural Resources Canada, and the EU Youth4Ocean Forum.</p><p>He is developing a bilingual course and open-access platform using machine learning to analyze whale calls. Artash has received the Gloria Barron Prize, Youth Can Innovate Grand Award, and EU Youth4Ocean Award.</p> <p><a href="https://you-oceans.com/" target="_blank" class="button button--primary"><span>Learn more about You-Oceans.com on their website</span></a></p>
Chengetai Nyamande (Hamilton, Ontario)
<p><em>Founder and Executive Director, Rise Above Cancer Foundation</em></p><p>Chengetai is the Founder and Executive Director of Rise Above Cancer, a non-profit organization supporting cancer patients with financial, nutritional, and emotional care. A two-time cancer survivor, Chengetai’s personal journey fuels her mission to advance health equity and ensure no one faces cancer alone.</p><p>Established in Hamilton in 2024, Rise Above Cancer supports cancer patients across Ontario through its core programs: medical nutrition, mobility aids, transportation, and peer support. With a background in community engagement and leadership, she is building partnerships to expand access to essential cancer support services in marginalized communities across Canada.</p><p>Chengetai is working to strengthen cancer support systems outside traditional healthcare by integrating community-led care models through strategic leadership and sustainable innovation.</p><p><a href="https://riseabovecancer.org/" target="_blank" class="button button--primary"><span>Learn more about the Rise Above Cancer Foundation on their website</span></a></p>
Sylvia Okonofua (Toronto, Ontario)
<p><em>Founder and Executive Director, Black Donors Save Lives</em></p><p>Sylvia is the Founder and Executive Director of Black Donors Save Lives (BDSL), a public health initiative working to mobilize African, Caribbean, and Black communities to become blood, stem cell, organ, and tissue donors through culturally grounded education, storytelling, and advocacy.</p><p>Sylvia’s commitment to this work is rooted in both research and lived experience. After witnessing the devastating impact of delayed donor matches in her own community—and learning that Black patients have as little as a 16 per cent chance of finding a stem cell match, compared to 75 per cent for Caucasian patients—Sylvia was moved to act with urgency and purpose.</p><p>In 2025-2026, BDSL will lead Black-led stem cell donor drives across Canada, registering 500 new Black donors, engaging over 1,500 youth and adults, and training 30 Donor Care Ambassadors to transform how Black communities are represented and cared for in donor systems. BDSL is also running the Youth Health Champions Fellowship, a leadership program that equips Black youth with the tools to become health equity advocates, lead community-based projects, and drive change across donor and healthcare systems.</p><p><a href="https://bdsl.ca/" target="_blank" class="button button--primary"><span>Learn more about Black Donors Save Lives on their website</span></a></p>
Christina Perceval (Montreal, Quebec)
<p><em>Co-Founder, Executive President, FanmIn Haiti</em></p><p>Christina is a youth advocate and the Executive President of FanmIn, a non-profit organization that promotes the importance of family by educating children, empowering and supporting women and girls, and helping men become allies in gender equality. In 2023, through FanmIn, she launched the APEDI (Aide aux Personnes Déplacées Internes) project in response to Haiti’s displacement crisis, where more than one million people, including 320,000 women and girls face dire health risks. APEDI has reached around 500 people with hygiene kits, trauma support, and menstrual health education, and now aims to embed menstrual equity into national policy in Haiti. Through the Eureka Fellowship, Christina is expanding APEDI’s youth training and advocacy model to strengthen health equity and resilience in crisis settings. She is also a One Young World Legacy Ambassador and Plan Canada Youth Facilitator.</p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/fanmin_ht/profilecard/?igsh=MjBwZWh4OXhobHBj" target="_blank" class="button button--primary"><span>Learn more about FanmIn on their website</span></a></p>
Abhay Singh Sachal (Regina, Saskatchewan)
<p><em>Founder, Break The Divide</em></p><p>Abhay is a climate and mental health advocate, researcher, and founder of Break The Divide, a non-profit bridging social, geographic, and cultural divides through dialogue on climate, mental health, identity, and equity.</p><p>Growing up in British Columbia with a strong connection to nature, Abhay become passionate about climate action but often felt isolated by global crises and a lack of support.</p><p>That experience sparked a mission to create spaces where youth can heal, lead, and be heard. From Saskatchewan to Cambodia, he’s worked across borders to centre emotional well-being in climate action. His latest initiative, Youth Climate Resilience Circles, supports racialized and Indigenous youth through peer-led healing circles, advocacy training, and a 2026 Youth Resilience Summit. He will train 12 facilitators, co-create a classroom-ready climate emotions curriculum, and embed healing into the systems shaping our future.</p><p><a href="https://breakthedivide.net/" target="_blank" class="button button--primary"><span>Learn more about Break the Divide on their website</span></a></p>
Tami Vasanthakumaran (Markham, Ontario)
<p><em>Founder, Meducine</em></p> <p>Tami is a Harvard-commended physician, United Nations advisor, and Lancet-published researcher dedicated to democratizing health literacy worldwide. At age seven, she transformed a candy box into a tsunami relief fund, foreshadowing a lifelong mission to close health equity gaps.</p><p>Tami founded Meducine, a multilingual AI health platform that won first place at UNITE 2030, was named a Fowler Global Finalist, and competed in Harvard’s Global AI Hackathon.</p><p>Co-created with doctors and youth, Meducine provides culturally adapted health information in over 150 languages, turning patients into informed advocates.</p><p>Through her Eureka Fellowship, she plans to pilot Meducine with Tamil, Indigenous, and newcomer communities across Canada while training more than 30 youth ambassadors to lead health literacy workshops, supported by AstraZeneca’s expertise and Plan International’s grassroots network. With Meducine, Tami is redefining accessibility, ensuring language and culture become bridges rather than barriers to care.</p> <p><a href="https://meducine.org/" target="_blank" class="button button--primary"><span>Learn more about Meducine on their website</span></a></p>
Muskaan Waraich (Surrey, British Columbia)
<p><em>Founder, EmpowerUp</em></p><p>Muskaan is a youth advocate and founder of EmpowerUp, an initiative leading the way in making period products more accessible across Canada. Her work in the menstrual equity space highlights that access to products and education isn’t enough as menstruation is often confusing, overwhelming and highly personal.</p><p>Muskaan has since led national campaigns, launched the Red Chest Project to distribute sustainable products, and created a Best Practices Guide for Brock University informed by more than 60 student voices.</p><p>She is developing a personalized menstrual health app that offers product matching, tracking and community support. Her long-term vision is to build a national standard for inclusive, user-centred menstrual care, shifting systems, reducing stigma, and to ensure that everyone who menstruates has access.</p> <p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/muskaan-waraich/" target="_blank" class="button button--primary"><span>Learn more about Muskaan’s work on her LinkedIn profile</span></a></p>
2024 Eureka Fellows
Learn more about the 2024 fellows below.
Download
Kenisha Arora (Ontario)
<p><em>Co-Founder, The Hope Sisters</em></p> <p>Kenisha is a Forbes-recognized leader in global education and health advocacy, committed to improving health education and access for young women.</p> <p>At 16, Kenisha began her advocacy journey as a School Board Trustee. She lobbied for free menstrual hygiene products in school washrooms, and recognizing the integral connection between education and health took her advocacy to the world stage, partnering with the President of the United Nations General Assembly to encourage Member States to improve access to and quality education.</p> <p>Her passion for solving challenges like health equity led Kenisha to co-create The Hope Sisters, a non-profit organization with chapters across Canada, Malawi, India, and Austria. To date, The Hope Sisters has distributed more than 10,000 HopeBags with menstrual hygiene products and educational materials.</p> <p><a href="https://www.thehopesisters.com" target="_blank" class="button button--primary"><span>Discover more about The Hope Sisters on their website</span></a></p>
Download
Inaam Chattha (Alberta)
<p><em>Co-Founder, Green Mind</em></p> <p>During his time living near an Indigenous reserve in rural Alberta, Inaam often engaged with his local community – deepening his connection to the land and fueling his passion to help amplify the voices of marginalized communities facing climate insecurities. </p> <p>Inaam is the Founder and President of Green Mind Canada and a recipient of Canada’s Top 25 Environmentalists Under 25. He is committed to creating a sustainable climate justice movement within his community that amplifies the voices of BIPOC, Indigenous and working-class communities. </p> <p>His work has been recognized by organizations like Oceanwise Canada and Starfish Canada. Inaam aims to unite and lead individuals to a healthier and more sustainable planet for future generations.</p> <p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/inaam-chattha-4401941b9" target="_blank" class="button button--primary"><span>Read more about Inaam’s work on his LinkedIn profile</span></a></p>
Download
Reegan Jungkind (Northwest Territories)
<p><em>South Slave Representative, NWT Climate Change Youth Council </em></p> <p>Reegan is passionate about protecting her community and fostering a thriving future for the Northwest Territories. She is a driving force for harm reduction policies against drug and alcohol abuse and climate action in her community. </p> <p>Reegan recently represented the Northwest Territories at the UN Global Goals Week and COP27 and is a member of the Northwest Territories Climate Change Youth Council. Reegan was awarded a Top 25 Under 25 Environmentalist in Canada by The Starfish and has supported events with environmental NGO Ecology North. </p> <p>Reegan works to address pressing regional and global climate challenges like safeguarding water resources and encourages youth involvement in climate action.</p> <p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/reegan-jungkind-a355b820b" target="_blank" class="button button--primary"><span>Read more about Reegan’s work on her LinkedIn profile</span></a></p>
Download
Joelle Kabisoso (Ontario)
<p><em>Founder, Sisters in Sync</em></p> <p>Joelle is committed to sustainable advocacy work supporting Black girls and women. She helps others “be, become and belong” through a range of programs, services, and advocacy efforts.</p> <p>As the founder of Sisters in Sync, her work resulted in the establishment of the #MaybeNextTime campaign, focusing on reshaping access to justice for Black women and girls and advocating against victim-blaming practices.</p> <p>To date, Sisters in Sync has directly impacted more than 500 girls and women across Canada, earning Joelle multiple awards including the 2022 L'Oréal Paris Women of Worth award and the 2022 Sr. Mary Lou McKenzie Young Alumnae of Merit from Brescia University College.</p> <p><a href="https://sistersinsync.org/" target="_blank" class="button button--primary"><span>Discover more about Sisters in Sync on their website</span></a></p>
Download
Jenna Kedy (Nova Scotia)
<p><em>Volunteer, Club Inclusion</em></p> <p>Jenna is a volunteer for Club Inclusion, a facility that helps people living with disabilities join enriching programs like dance classes, music therapy, and community outings. </p> <p>Jenna has battled juvenile arthritis and juvenile fibromyalgia from a young age and experienced firsthand how the healthcare system can fail someone with a chronic illness. This personal challenge began her journey as a champion of sustainability and chronic illness advocate; for over five years she has contributed to health initiatives such as serving as a mentor with Impact Trials and working with the IWK Health Centre. </p> <p>Jenna is committed to DE&I and ensuring everyone receives equal opportunity and access to healthcare and promoting girl-driven programming – fostering an inclusive space for confidence-building and creativity. </p> <p><a href="https://theclubinclusion.com/" target="_blank" class="button button--primary"><span>Discover more about Club Inclusion on their website</span></a></p>
Download
Justin Langan (Manitoba)
<p><em>Founder, O’KANATA</em></p> <p>Justin is a passionate 2SLGBTQ+ advocate for environmental protection, Indigenous rights and health equity. </p> <p>As the founder behind O’KANATA, Justin integrates traditional Indigenous knowledge with modern strategies to promote diversity, equity and inclusion and tackle sustainability issues like the impacts of climate change on health. </p> <p>Justin’s advocacy work in issues related to sustainability is motivated by a deep connection to his Métis heritage and the pressing need to address environmental inequities. His work has been recognized through numerous awards, including the Indspire Métis Youth Award and the CBC Future 40 Under 40 Award. </p> <p><a href="http://www.okanata.org/" target="_blank" class="button button--primary"><span>Discover more about O’KANATA on their website</span></a></p>
Download
Tiana Lemon (Yukon Territory)
<p><em>Masters of Business Administration Candidate, University of Business Innovation and Sustainability</em></p> <p>As a dedicated youth activist, Tiana is committed to maximizing the voices of Indigenous communities and advocating for positive, sustainable change to address the complex environmental issues they face.</p> <p>Tiana aims to use her cultural heritage and contemporary knowledge to address the inequities commonly experienced by Indigenous communities. This drive to achieve positive change is what drove her to pursue her Master of Business Administration at the University of Business Innovation and Sustainability.</p> <p>Tiana regularly speaks at national and international conferences, aiming to foster sustainable development and economic empowerment within Indigenous communities. </p> <p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiana-lemon-5b0701119/" target="_blank" class="button button--primary"><span>Read more about Tiana’s work on her LinkedIn profile</span></a></p>
Download
Farkhunda Muhtaj (Ontario)
<p><em>Co-Founder, Scarborough Simbas</em></p><p>Farkhunda is an Afghan-Canadian professional footballer and social activist. After immigrating to Canada at the age of two, she discovered that sports could be a powerful tool for global citizenship.</p><p>For 15 years, Farkhunda has been working to create sustainable refugee solutions and be a champion for diversity, equity and inclusion. She is the co-founder of Scarborough Simbas, which aims to empower marginalized children and youth and ease the settlement journey of newcomers to Canada.</p><p>Farkhunda holds a variety of roles for various organizations: She’s the Respect and Inclusion Ambassador for Respect Group Inc., ambassador with Penny Appeal Canada, UNHCR Netherlands and Women for Women, and board member with League 1 Ontario and Canada Soccer's women’s soccer advisory committee helping to shape the future of women's soccer.</p><p><a href="https://muslimchildrensaid.com/scarborough-simbas/" target="_blank" class="button button--primary"><span>Discover more about Scarborough Simbas on their website</span></a></p>
Download
Ronaar Qureshi (Alberta)
<p><em>Co-founder, Inform Cannabis</em></p> <p>Ronaar is a young researcher and award-winning entrepreneur with a passion for healthcare innovations, educational technologies, and operational management. </p> <p>As a socially responsible leader, Ronaar is a co-founder of the Inform Cannabis, a project that addresses youth cannabis abuse through innovations and an AI-powered, simulation-based game. </p> <p>Ronaar has also contributed to healthcare equity and community support initiatives by participating in a number of research projects. At the Owerko Cantre at the Alberta Children’s Hospital, Ronaar worked on early childhood education innervations and contributed to pediatric emergency medicine studies at the Alberta Children's Hospital.</p> <p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronaar-qureshi/" target="_blank" class="button button--primary"><span>Read more about Ronaar’s work on his LinkedIn profile</span></a></p>
Download
Maahi Shah (Saskatchewan)
<p><em>Former Project Manager, Re-Colour</em></p> <p>Maahi is passionate about environmental protection, community engagement, and sustainable development. She recently obtained her Bachelor of Arts and Science Honours majoring in Environment and Society and holds a certificate in sustainability.</p> <p>Maahi dedicates her time to numerous sustainability initiatives like Passion2Action, where she engaged over 26,000 youth to foster social responsibility among young Canadians. She was also the project manager of Re-Colour, a crayon recycling program through the University of Saskatchewan that diverted 27,000 crayons from landfills to benefit inner-city schools, daycares, and crisis shelters. </p> <p>Through initiatives like INSPIRE, Maahi has worked to empower youth by providing them with platforms to express their ideas and drive sustainable change. </p> <p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/maahi-shah-0169031b1" target="_blank" class="button button--primary"><span>Read more about Maahi’s work on her LinkedIn profile</span></a></p>
Download
Kimia Shafighi (Quebec)
<p><em>CEO and Co-Founder, Biocene</em></p> <p>Kimia is a graduate student at McGill University and Mila whose studies focus on neuroscience, engineering, and sustainability. </p> <p>As the CEO and Co-Founder of Biocece, Kimia leads efforts to improve water quality and address climate change. Motivated by her undergraduate studies in bioengineering, Kimia initiated the Algo project, Biocene’s current flagship product, with the McGill Biodesign team. The project gained recognition by the McGill Bicentennial Student Sustainability Challenge and was presented to the United Nations. </p> <p>Currently, Kimia’s work revolves around innovation with Algo – optimizing water quality by turning algae from waste to resource – leading to effective interventions and reduced environmental footprints.</p> <p><a href="https://biocene.ca/" target="_blank" class="button button--primary"><span>Discover more about Biocene on their website</span></a></p>
Download
Sophia Yang (British Columbia)
<p><em>Founder and Executive Director, Threading Change</em></p> <p>With a commitment to ethical fashion, Sophia is passionate about sustainability at the intersection of climate, gender, and racial justice advocacy.</p> <p>Sophia is the founder of Threading Change, a youth-led ethical fashion organization dedicated to creating a more equitable and climate-resilient fashion industry through education and legislation. She is also a Corporate Campaigner at Canopy Planet, working with global brands on supply chain transformation.</p> <p>Sophia has worked for several notable environmental organizations spanning federal government agencies, NGOs and academic institutions. Her work has been widely recognized through numerous awards including the City of Vancouver's Greenest City Leadership Award in 2022.</p> <p><a href="https://www.threadingchange.org/" target="_blank" class="button button--primary"><span>Discover more about Threading Change on their website</span></a></p>
