Written by Paul Fraumeni  

In a rural area of Cameroon, there are kids with school supplies now because of Josephine Noue’s fund raising efforts.

Her work has also resulted in seven clean water fountains built in the same area. They serve 40,000 people. And the water that comes from those fountains has had an important spinoff effect: the attendance rate of children at school has increased by 73 per cent and waterborne illnesses like diarrhea and malaria have decreased by 50 per cent.

Josephine, 17, made these important contributions through her family’s charitable initiative, The Niabang Foundation. It supports children in the birth country of her parents, Marie and Eric. The Noue family (which also includes Josephine’s siblings, Manfred and Antonella) live in Grimsby, Ontario.

Making an impact in helping others is at the core of Josephine’s spirit.

She certainly did that as an Ontario legislative page, representing the Niagara region. This work “underscores her exemplary qualities as a leader and her dedication to civic engagement,” notes Marie Claire Makoudjou, a teacher at the Dufferin Peel Catholic District School Board and a mentor to Josephine.

Laure Hamilton, a teacher at Ecole secondaire Franco-Niagara, agrees. “One of Josephine’s most admirable qualities is her advocacy for underrepresented groups, particularly in mathematics and science. As a Black female student, she brings a unique perspective to the table and serves as a role model for young students who may come from more marginalized backgrounds.”

Important accomplishments for a young woman whose life started out hard.

When she was four years old, Josephine was diagnosed with stage III neuroblastoma—a type of pediatric cancer that, in her case, developed in the abdomen. The doctors said she had only a 25 per cent chance of survival.

Now, 13 years later, she’s about to further the impact she can make. In the fall, Josephine will be entering the University of Guelph to become a veterinarian.

“I’ve had animals around me my whole life,” she says. Her animal family has included an American Eskimo dog named Princess, a guinea pig, birds, fish and a rabbit.

And she believes she can help animals in the same ways she’s helped people.

“I stand before you as living proof of the boundless capacity for human resilience,” she wrote when applying for a scholarship from Empowered Kids Ontario. “I’ve not only thrived academically, consistently leading my class, but have carved out a path of compassion and determination. My illness and recovery have taught me the profound value of life – not just human life, but all life.”

Josephine doesn’t recall much from that time when she was fighting cancer. But she will always remember and value the support from her parents. “They’ve been with me the whole way and have given me such good guidance.”

As she turns her attention to university and her dream of caring for animals, Josephine thanks God “for giving me the strength to keep pushing and stay on the right track.” And she has a few words for other young people who experience difficulties: “Know that the challenges don’t define you, it’s your perseverance that does. Every step forward is a victory in itself.”

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