Prepare to Be Inspired: Our 5 Most Hopeful Stories of 2025
2025’s Stories of Hope
In 2025, we followed the voices that moved us. From photojournalists and climate advocates to children facing unimaginable challenges, these top five inspiring stories show what true resilience looks like.
We know — 2025 was a lot. Labubus took over the world and Katy Perry went to space (don’t worry, she came back). But while the world was chasing collectibles, we were chasing something different: stories with impact.
This year’s top inspiring stories are honest, sometimes heavy, but offer the kind of hope that stays with you. Let’s get started!
Fatima’s photo diary
They say a picture is worth a thousand words — and in this first story, that could not be truer. Fatima Hassouna was a gifted photojournalist and youth advocate with Plan International who used her camera to document what life was like in Gaza amidst the war. On April 16, 2025, she and 10 members of her family were killed in an airstrike. More than 68,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the start of the conflict in October 2023 – many of them children.
Her haunting photo series, A City of Ghosts, offers a glimpse into the immense destruction in Gaza — capturing what was once a vibrant city, now reduced to rubble. In her final project with Plan International, she wrote: “These scenes deeply sadden me and eat away at my heart. But my only consolation is the hope that this generation will one day stand against injustice.”
Her lens gave a voice to the voiceless. Her legacy calls us to continue sharing her work, for the thousands who have lost their lives, and for those trying to rebuild in the city they still call home.
Climate anxiety is real
“When the world burns, I burn with it.” –Kaia, youth advocate and founder of The Métis Mind
This next story isn’t just another article about climate change — it’s about the emotional toll of watching the environment change around you and how to cope with it. As wildfires rage and heat waves settle in, young people across Canada are feeling distressed and anxious about their futures.
This story by two Plan International Canada youth advocates, Inaam and Kaia, helps us discover just how connected our minds and bodies are to the world around us. From launching culturally grounded support platforms to writing children’s books about eco-anxiety, these two youth are turning their fear into action, and showing other young people that they can do the same.
The people behind Plan’s mission
Now, this wouldn’t be a top inspiring stories list without highlighting the remarkable story of one of Plan International Canada’s most beloved and dedicated leaders: Tanjina Mirza. Over her 24 years with Plan, Tanjina’s unwavering commitment helped drive transformative change for children in crisis across our programs.
But this story isn’t about her work.
It’s about her remarkable experience as a child refugee, trying to survive with her family amidst the 1971 Pakistan war.
When Tanjina was nine years old, her Bengali family came under threat in West Pakistan and had no choice but to flee due to persecution and the threat of imprisonment — a fate her father wanted to protect his family from. Her lived experience serves as a powerful reminder of why safe spaces for children to learn and simply be kids are vital, especially in times of crisis.
Read the full story to discover how Tanjina went from a child refugee with limited access to food, education, and safety to a devoted humanitarian whose work continues to shape the future of children’s rights around the world.
Sudan: What’s happening now?
Imagine sitting at home, watching TV on the couch, when suddenly the sound of gunfire and bombs shatter the quiet. People in your neighbourhood are dying. You have no choice but to run. From that moment on, your life is never the same.
That is the unfortunate reality of many children from Sudan, a country that is collapsing under the weight of a violent civil war. Over 11.7 million people have been forcibly displaced, and children are facing such extreme hunger that some have resorted to eating dirt.
“I used to sleep on a bed, watch cartoons on TV, but now all these things changed. It is very difficult here. I miss my life,” said 10-year-old Adan, who escaped to a refugee camp in South Sudan with her grandmother.
This story shares just a few of the voices of children suffering in Sudan — but there are countless more who need help. If you’d like to help us reach displaced children from Sudan with safe spaces, clean water, and food, please support our Children in Crisis Response Fund.
Former sponsored child José Luis
For our last story, you might want to keep a box of tissues close by — but we promise, they’ll be happy tears. This is the story of José Luis: a former sponsored child with Plan International whose childhood was marked by challenges, but also by a deep longing to learn. In the Chalatenango region of El Salvador, access to education was limited, and many homes were affected by domestic violence and alcoholism.
“If I saw my father drunk, I would start crying and trembling because I knew violence was coming,” says José Luis. This environment made the dream of completing his studies and becoming a teacher feel out of reach.
But one sponsor’s belief in his potential changed everything.
The encouragement in her letters gave José Luis the strength to pursue his dream. Today, he is a community development facilitator with Plan International. He helps create safe spaces for children that are free from violence and filled with hope for a better future.
These five stories remind us of the strength and spirit that exist even in the toughest of moments. If you want to keep that feeling going, explore more stories at https://plancanada.ca/stories
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Support displaced children from Sudan, Gaza, Haiti, and other places where urgent action is needed through our Children in Crisis Response Fund.
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