Our first encounter with Bisman – a passionate 16-year-old from Winnipeg, Manitoba – was through Plan International Canada’s Girls Belong Here program. Aiming to connect female leaders of the future with current leaders in civil, corporate, academic, and government sectors, the program put Bisman in our Executive Director Chris’ shoes for the day.
From the get-go, Bisman’s passion for bringing about positive change in the world and her community was evident. Born with a vision impairment, Bisman was no stranger to overcoming adversity even at a young age. She considered this barrier as a catalyst to set bigger and brighter goals – from using her trilingual abilities to educate others about her culture and religion to volunteering at Folklorama, the world’s largest multicultural festival.
At school, Bisman researched humanitarian issues behind the veil of the fashion industry and learnt about the impact of environmental abuse on agricultural communities. As an intern at The Outland Magazine, she raised awareness of the prevalence of domestic violence in South Asian families, further amplifying her dream of becoming a family lawyer, supporting victims of domestic violence and facing social injustice head-on.
“Children are not only the leaders and voices of change today but powerhouses of change for the future.” - Bisman Randhawa, 16.
Bisman’s passion for gender equality led her to found Maples 4 Women, a female empowerment group at her high school dedicated to uplifting marginalized women in the community through youth engagement and fundraising for local women’s shelters.
As a budding advocate, Bisman spoke at our #ChampionChildrenInEmergencies parliamentary reception about the impact of poverty and converging crises on children and youth living in emergencies, especially the lack of access to quality education and healthcare. As a youth ambassador, she spoke to Members of Parliament and other decision-makers (including the Minister of International Development!) about the urgent need for transformative investments for the wellbeing of children globally.
Following her experience with us, Bisman continues to advocate for gender equality and youth involvement in decision-making processes. She is a stellar example of youth taking charge of the future and being a leader of positive change.
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