As told to Caro Rolando
I’m Izmir and I just turned 13 years old.
My parents named me after a place that I’ve only heard stories about — the city of İzmir, in Türkiye, which most people know as Turkey. When two big earthquakes struck Türkiye and Syria on my 10th birthday, I decided that I needed to do something about it.
The first thing I thought about was running. My parents say I started running as soon as I could walk. I like to challenge and push myself to my limits, so I decided to combine that passion with my passion for helping people. In 2023, I did ten 10-kilometre runs to raise money for the Humanitarian Coalition which was helping people who were impacted by the earthquake. I raised $18,000!
After that, I kept running in my spare time. I train four times a week — mostly indoors, because Calgary is cold — but I try to run outside on weekends, and in the summer. I love seeing the world pass by with every step.
In 2024, I gave myself a new challenge: to run a total of 40 kilometres and raise $40,000 for the World Partnership Walk. It’s the largest event in Canada in support of international development, and my Aunt Mary was one of the women who organized the first one, over 40 years ago.
I wanted to help because I think everyone should have access to clean water, food, and education. I can’t imagine walking five kilometres every day just to get water, and I don’t think anyone else should have to either, especially kids. I also don’t think it’s fair that millions of girls in Afghanistan can’t go to school.
I finished running the 40 kilometres on the morning of June 2, 2024, right before hundreds of people started the Walk at Prince’s Island Park. My dad was following me on a bike the whole time. He kept shouting words of encouragement, like, “You got this!” and “5K to go!” So many other people were cheering me on too, and my friend Jaden came to watch me. It was really cool, especially because I reached my fundraising goal.
The experience made me realize that no matter how old you are, age is not a limit. Anyone can make a difference. You can just try your best, and your best is always amazing.
When I grow up, I want to be an architect, because I’ve always had a passion for drawing and building structures. For now, I’ll continue to build awareness on global issues through running. It’s how I’m making a difference in the world.
The 2026 World Partnership Walk is on May 31 in selected cities across Canada.
This article was initially published in a special issue of Canadian Geographic, Global Citizen 2026, a partnership between AKFC and Canadian Geographic magazine. Global Citizens 2026 — and many of the inspiring initiatives it highlights — was undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada.
