Student Bursary
Ripples of change: How Grace is investing in the potential of the next generation
Feb 2, 2026
Grace spent the first 18 years of her life in the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya. There, she faced immense odds and the daily adversity of camp life. Yet, in the midst of these challenges, she found her focus in education. She excelled academically at Tumaini Girls Secondary School, an experience that not only laid the groundwork for her future social impact work but also set her on a path to a new life.
Her unwavering determination and the strength of her education eventually led her across the world to the University of Toronto, where she is focusing her studies on finance and business, with a specialization in economics and public policy. This relocation to Canada marked a major new chapter, but the financial burden of pursuing a degree in a new country presented a significant challenge.
The power of one catalyst
Recognizing her profound commitment to social impact, Grace was awarded a TELUS Student Bursary. This support was far more than financial relief; it was a crucial investment in her vision to give back. In parallel with the bursary, Grace was honored with the University of Toronto's prestigious Student Leadership Award for her dedicated community work.
This support became the catalyst she needed. “Today, I’m creating change through my own non-profit that helps girls in the refugee camp where I grew up to access the same life-changing education opportunities that I did,” says Grace. By launching her own non-profit, she has created a ripple effect of good, powerfully proving that empowering one student can strengthen the lives of many.
A full-circle moment
Grace’s connection with TELUS deepened in 2025 when she completed a co-op placement with the TELUS Government Relations team. This internship allowed her to bring her unique perspective as a changemaker and refugee advocate to a professional environment, further developing the skills she needs to lead her non-profit into the future. She even worked on publishing an article about bridging healthcare information gaps for refugees in Canada, leveraging her own lived experiences.
Grace’s story is a beautiful example of a changemaker in action. Her incredible journey, from a refugee camp to a TELUS intern and founder of her own non-profit, shows that with the right support, there is no limit to what a student can achieve and the positive impact they can create for the next generation.
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