In 2010, I had just come to Canada and was eager to engage with youth and teen girls as I had done from my home country. As I continued to look around and volunteered with organization as well, I observed that most youth and teens had no self -confidence. I then started to engage any youth I ran into in the community by asking “Hello there and how are you doing today?” Sometimes, some say “I do not know “then the conversation will go on as to what do you want to become or where are you from? Some will only complained of being tired of school, I do not like Math’s or shrug their shoulders and say "I do not know what I want to become", at some occasion, some just walked away. "At that point, I started to think more of a program to mentor, build self-confidence, and engage youth."

In 2013, this yearning gave birth to an organization registered as Cultural Youth Initiative, where dedicated volunteers joined me, and we started engaging in summer programs for youth, where, "we engaged and taught them how to prepare some healthy cultural food, dance drama, public speaking, poetry, writing and colouring to mention but a few.

In the quest to support youth in literacy program, in 2013, CYI partnered with Spelling Bee of Canada to coordinate/host Spelling Bee competition in Edmonton and Alberta at regional level and compete at the national level in Ontario. "And since then the story continue to write itself...."