The youth at Covenant House are resilient, with hopes and dreams for the future. Destin Bujang, a former Covenant House shelter resident and graduate of the agency’s Rights of Passage transitional housing program, is a prime example of such resilience.
Shortly after arriving in Canada as a refugee from Cameroon, Destin became an advocate for social justice causes, particularly vulnerable youth. His passion was sparked through volunteer work at a local refugee centre while staying at Covenant House.
“I started volunteering at the centre when I lived at the Covenant House shelter. My youth workers were so impressed about this that they did everything to encourage me.”
The support and encouragement Destin received from Covenant House staff propelled his successful pursuit of a post-secondary education in the fields of Human Rights and Equity Studies. After graduating, he transformed his volunteer experience into a career where he advocates for young people on a variety of levels.
Since leaving Covenant House, Destin has become co-founder and CEO of a youth-led organization that provides a safe and inclusive space for young people in the Black Creek/Trethewey neighbourhood of Toronto.
Destin’s message to young people is that they must believe in themselves. “Believe so much that if a door closes, or seems to close, your mindset should be that, it was closed because a bigger door is open elsewhere for you.”