At just 20 years old, Nebiyou Timotewos has founded two impactful youth-focused initiatives: Brothers4Brothers and Communities Care. With a mission to break the stigma around men’s mental health, Brothers4Brothers offers mentorship programs that have already transformed the lives of over 50 young men. Communities Care, launched just months later, provides essential “Kindness Kits” to underserved youth, reaching over 1,500 recipients within six months.
Describe your charity/non-profit/volunteer work in a few sentences.
Brothers4Brothers focuses on breaking the stigma around men’s mental health by creating safe spaces for young men through our mentorship program. So far, we have run three cohorts and positively impacted over 50 youth. Communities Care addresses the immediate needs of youth through various kindness initiatives, with the main one being ‘Kindness Kits.’ These kits include essential items like hygiene products, snacks, feminine products, and kindness notes. Since our establishment six months ago, we have supported over 1,500 youth in need. Both organizations are youth-centric and are run by youth, for youth.
What problem does it aim to solve?
Both organizations aim to educate, empower and uplift youth by helping them embrace their past, thrive in the present, and work toward a brighter future. We inspire youth to know they’re not alone, value kindness, and pay it forward, showing that small actions can build a stronger, united community.
When did you start/join it?
I founded Brothers4Brothers in November 2023 following my recognition as a TELUS Student Bursary Recipient (a bursary program that supports socially-minded youth who are experiencing financial need and are committed to making a difference in their communities). Receiving the bursary helped relieve some of the financial pressure in achieving my goal of attending university and made it easier to spend more time focusing on my passion for giving back. I then founded Communities Care in February 2024, though it didn’t become operational until late April.
What made you want to get involved?
Both organizations have deeply personal origin stories. I founded Brothers4Brothers because of the challenges I’ve faced in my life—losing two brothers in Ethiopia, witnessing horrific and traumatic events during the Yemen war where we lost many family members and loved ones, nearly losing my dad to illness in Dublin, and living in a shelter in Canada. When my family decided to get therapy, I initially refused, believing that as a man, I didn’t need it. But after getting help, I saw a transformation in my life. Witnessing my male friends struggle with similar issues but avoiding seeking help due to stigma motivated me to create Brothers4Brothers, with the mission of breaking the stigma and building a supportive brotherhood. I founded Communities Care because, when we immigrated to Canada in the winter of 2016, we left everything behind and endured the harsh winter with little more than shirts and shorts. Despite the challenges, the kindness and support of the community helped us through. When we left the shelter in July 2017, I made a promise to myself to one day return and ensure that no youth would have to endure what I experienced. Seven years later, I’m fulfilling that promise by working with shelters and organizations to support youth in need and address their immediate challenges.
What was the situation like when you started?
When I first started both organizations, there were a lot of challenges. Especially with Brothers4Brothers, trying to open conversations around mental health as men was tough, as many people found it radical or weak to advocate for that. When both organizations began, I was just a one-man army. I had to learn everything from graphic design to marketing, facilitation, and planning—basically all of it. Over time, more youth showed interest and joined, and we saw the positive impact of our work. The testimonials from the community, parents, and youth were uplifting. For instance, with Brothers4Brothers, we receive heartfelt feedback from parents all the time about how the program positively changed their sons’ lives.
How has it changed since?
There has been significant change now, as more and more youth want to join our kindness movement every day across both organizations. At Brothers4Brothers, due to the high demand for our program, we’ve added a lot of benefits such as participants being able to return as junior mentors to learn leadership skills and further develop professionally. We’ve also started offering volunteer hours for high school students. At Communities Care, with more youth volunteers signing up and more organizations supporting us, we’ve been able to distribute over 1,200 kindness kits and have expanded to Africa, where we’ve distributed over 300 additional kits. We’re now working with the Ethiopian School Board to help move youth from the streets into classrooms. Due to our growing list of partners and ongoing community support, including the support we’ve received through the TELUS Student Bursary, we’ve been able to positively impact a variety of youth and also help them impact the community. Our main goal is to inspire youth to do good and let them know they have the power to make a positive impact, no matter their background or age.
What more needs to be done?
It’s important to recognize that we all need to come together and do our part, as we are stronger when united. One of the key things we are trying to do is show the community that we don’t have to choose between doing good and excelling in our personal lives. We can achieve both, and in fact, we experience much faster growth when we are doing good for our communities. Personal success and community success are deeply intertwined, and when we help others, the biggest person we are helping is ourselves. As organizations run by university students, we know there is still much to be done. We need more organizations, partners, and community members to step up and support our mission so we can bring this kindness movement to other communities. Yes, we need policy changes, but we also need to step up as Canadians and take care of our neighbours. Embracing kindness in our daily lives is not only our responsibility but also a core part of who we are as Canadians. I also strongly believe that we need more programs and support for social purpose movements, like the TELUS Student Bursary Program, which is doing a remarkable job in our community by helping students in need advance their education without financial stress. As a two-time recipient of this bursary, I can personally say how much it has changed my life. It has allowed me to pursue my education and focus on community initiatives, helping me pay it forward and make the future brighter for others.
How can our readers help?
Bring the kindness movement to your community! Reach out to us, and my team and I will personally meet with you to spread this movement to your neighbourhood. There are so many people, especially youth in our communities, who have lost hope. Let’s be the light that helps them find their way. A friendly future starts with you and me. Together, we can create impactful change through acts of kindness, love, and inspiration. By doing so, we can live a fulfilled life and leave a positive legacy behind. At Brothers4Brothers and Communities Care, we are always looking for more partners, organizations, and community members to join hands with us. We are truly stronger together, so let’s unite and make our community more friendly and stronger!
Do you have any events coming up?
At Brothers4Brothers, we have recently opened registration for our Cohort 3 Mentorship Program! Young men aged 14-25 can register to join us for 12 weeks of mentorship packed with valuable benefits. If you know someone, or if you have a son or family member who could benefit from this program, you can learn more and register at brothers4brothers.org. Additionally, at Communities Care, we are organizing a Christmas Kindness Drive, where we aim to provide kindness gifts to youth in need who might not otherwise have the chance to celebrate the holiday season due to their circumstances. We want to be there for them and let them know they have a friend in us. If you are interested in joining hands with us, partnering, or volunteering, please reach out at communitiescare.org.
Where can we follow you?
Website | Communities Care | Instagram | Facebook | Linkedin | TikTok
PAY IT FORWARD: What is an awesome local charity that you love?
There are many local charities I love and admire for the remarkable work they are doing in our community. As a sitting board member on the TELUS’ Greater Toronto & Hamilton Areas Community Board, I’ve been able to advocate for support and allocate funding to various charities, including Vision of Science, which is doing amazing work to make STEM accessible to marginalized youth in our community. Many charities are making meaningful changes in their respective fields, and I’m proud and honoured to help support their goals and vision. Through the TELUS Community Board, which is funded by the TELUS Friendly Future Foundation, we not only provide financial support but also offer valuable resources to help them succeed and make a bigger impact.
