Personal Connections is a new blog series exploring the many different personal connections Momentum has with past participants. This series is led by Momentum's Executive Director Jeff Loomis.

‘What do you think about a past participant joining a board meeting?’ I hadn’t had a staff member ask me that question before, so it made me think.

Earlier this year, one of our team members let me know that Zaky, a Youth Fair Gains grad, was curious about how our board of directors works. He had heard about the role of governance and wanted to learn more — a refreshing curiosity especially from a young person like Zaky. I gave him a call, and we had a great conversation about Momentum’s board and what it does. What struck me most about Zaky was his sincere curiosity and thoughtful questions — even about something as dry as board governance!

Shortly after our first phone call, I met Zaky in person at a Youth Fair Gains graduation that included two of his siblings who had just completed the program. They enrolled after Zaky had encouraged them to join because of his own great experience learning practical money skills, like how to start investing.

Over the past few months, I’ve had the privilege of getting to know Zaky better. He graduated from Youth Fair Gains in 2024, is currently studying business at the University of Calgary with a focus on accounting, and is completing a co-op at Deloitte. He’s originally from Afghanistan, and his story is deeply inspiring. After his father passed away, his mother raised Zaky and his six siblings — five boys and two girls — on her own. Her dream was simple but powerful: she wanted all her kids to get an education. Despite significant challenges accessing education, Zaky never missed a day.

When the family came to Canada, Zaky was in junior high. Adjusting to a new culture and living on a low income wasn’t easy. His mother wasn’t working at the time, so his older brothers and an uncle helped support the family. Zaky started working at 15 at a fast-food restaurant and a few years later, he and one of his brothers started a car detailing business. That business has grown and now provides another source of income for the family.

After meeting Zaky at the Youth Fair Gains grad, I checked in with Luiza, our Board Chair, and we invited Zaky to sit in on the March board meeting. He listened intently — including during the discussion of our audited financial statements, which couldn’t have been a better match for his interest in accounting.

Zaky’s eagerness to get involved didn’t stop there. This May, he joined me on stage to co-host our Annual Celebration and AGM. Together, we shared the highlights and challenges of 2024. One of my favourite moments of the event was when Zaky shared that he and his siblings had also recently come together to buy a home in East Calgary after seeing a video about a former Momentum participant who went from experiencing homelessness to becoming a mortgage-free homeowner.

Connecting with Zaky over the past few months has been a gift. His story is a powerful example of the resilience, ambition, and hope, that so many Momentum participants bring to our community. He reminds me that even when the challenges are big, the drive to create a better future is even bigger.

Zaky gives me real hope for the future of Calgary. He’s already making a difference — and I know he’s just getting started.

Read about other participants' journeys, or learn more about our programs here.