Hi! My name is Iyah and I am a 10-year-old from Ontario who loves cats, art, science, and helping others. When I was 7 I started my own business called Kitty Kreative. I make and sell cat- and justice-themed products like pins and magnets at local kid markets. I am also a member of Young Canadians’ Parliament. I’ve been a Girl Guide for several years and have won the Girl Guides of Canada Changemaker Award twice – in 2023 and 2025.

I care about children’s rights, especially the right to clean water, a healthy planet, food, shelter, and healthcare. I’ve learned that not every child in Canada has access to basic needs, and that’s not fair.

Over the past few years, I’ve led several projects to help people and the environment. I’ve made activity kits for pediatric patients, celebration boxes for kids at the food bank, and comfort kits for people who don’t have homes. I also ran a book drive for the Little Free Libraries in my community. On the environmental side, I am a Water Ranger and I do water quality testing across all the bodies of water in southern Ontario. I have also written to the Prime Minister about water quality and Indigenous water rights, leading to a meeting with a director at Indigenous Services Canada. My projects have helped others feel seen and supported — and they’ve taught me that even small actions can make a difference.

One challenge I faced was trying to take on my big ideas without much time, money, and experience. For example, I wanted to make 75 comfort kits for the homeless. I talked to many business managers, but hardly any of them gave me donations. I learned to adjust my plan and ask for help. I learned to remind myself that doing something, even if it’s not perfect, is better than doing nothing. I still made 75 comfort kits, but with help from friends and without wool socks, which were the most expensive product on my list.