Shania (22) and Anya (17) Bhopa are two female entrepreneurs, with a dream of changing the world. The sister duo launched a charitable organization called The Canadian Courage Project to support homeless youth and their animal companions across Ontario. The Bhopa sisters want to spread awareness of the poverty that exists in their very own community.
It all started when Anya Bhopa started volunteering at a local shelter, seeing that some of the animals brought in were previously owned by individuals who didn’t have the means to support them. In 2019, the sisters walked the streets of Toronto handing out winter care kits to all homeless individuals and their animal companions. The pair wanted to extend their impact, and so The Canadian Courage Project was born in May 2020 – and since the launch, they have helped over 1000 homeless youth. “Our goal is to support homeless youth in shelters and those transitioning into independent living,” says Shania Bhopa.
“To make a global change – it starts locally,” says Shania.
The Canadian Courage Project embodies three pillars: support, education, and collaboration. “We want to support homeless youth by distributing care kits that include hygiene items, food, PPE, and essential items to get them through their day,” says Anya.
“Our second pillar is education, we hope to inspire and motivate youth across Canada from elementary to high school through our workshops,” says Shania. The third pillar of the organization is collaboration in hopes to purchase all supplies for the care-kits from local businesses. As two individuals that grew up in a rural town outside of Toronto, the sisters embody the aspects of local collaboration and community activism. The organization works to find shelters, transition homes, and after-school programs to collaborate with and extend its efforts outside of the GTA.
The Bhopa sisters are two second-generation females that pushed to overcome the doubt, disbelief, and lack of support that is often put in front of female entrepreneurs. “ Especially because of our age, no one took us seriously for the first little bit, and it was soul-crushing, “ says Anya. The sisters hope to inspire and motivate other females and changemakers through their social media accounts.
“The biggest challenge for us was launching an organization during a pandemic,” says Anya. The sisters were faced with the difficulty of creating partnerships, and strategizing fundraisers virtually. The biggest challenge is connecting with donors, and community building, as creating brand awareness has relied solely on virtual marketing.
“Our organization is 100% donation-based,” says Shania. The Canadian Courage Project recently launched a hoodie line showcasing their slogan “Change – where equity meets well-being” to inspire individuals in the community to take action. All products sold by the organization are locally made and 100% of proceeds go towards supporting homeless youth.
The Bhopa sisters dream to support all of those that may be struggling to find housing and are living in poverty. “We want our organization to spread across Canada and offer free mental health and veterinary services for homeless youth and their animal companions,” says Anya. The sisters hope to one day promote the wellness of all young people across the nation. “We would love to have global health compulsory in the education system so that young people feel a moral obligation to support their community and practice active citizenship,” says Shania.
Find your passion and do not let anything get in your way of achieving your goals. The global goals are a great place to start and begin the journey of making a change in the community. Inspire yourself by surrounding your environment with positive and optimistic individuals and educational opportunities. You can decide your faith and your course if you put in the work to get there. Work every single day to be better than you were the last. We are rooting for you and sending you all the positivity! Said Shania and Anya Bhopa.
The Canadian Courage Project
Email Address: thecanadiancourageproject@gmail.com
Website: www.thecanadiancourageproject.org
Instagram: www.instagram.com/thecanadiancourageproject
