Solange Tuyishime’s journey from war survivor to national pageant winner to international leader is a testament to the power of resilience and dedication. Her purpose-centered approach to leadership inspires and elevates leaders worldwide, making her a compelling voice for positive change in our global community.

She’s a dynamic leader, humanitarian, and advocate for global change. As the President and CEO of Elevate International, she has transformed a leadership empowerment program for young women into an international organization advancing women’s and girls’ leadership and economic empowerment worldwide.

Solange survived war and genocide at the age of 11 in East Africa and became a refugee during her early childhood years. Moving from country to country, in hope for a better life Solange immigrated to Canada. As a war survivor, Solange brings a powerful personal perspective to her role as UNICEF Canada’s Goodwill Ambassador. In this capacity, she has been instrumental in raising awareness and funds for critical issues facing children globally, with a particular focus on clean water and sanitation access.

In 2025, Solange earned the Community Builder Award with the United Way and hosted a sold out event on stage with Governor General Mary Simon. Solange has earned numerous awards in recognition of her national and global contribution and achievements, which includes the 40 under 40 award, Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, the Business Woman of the Year award and the Order of Ottawa.

Solange’s commitment to making a difference extends to her co-founding of Naylah’s Legacy, an organization dedicated to saving the lives of mothers and babies both locally and globally. Her philanthropic efforts have helped raise over $2 million, providing over 4 million households with access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene programs.

With a Master’s in Public Administration and over a decade of experience in the Canadian federal government, Solange brings a wealth of knowledge in public policy and leadership development to her work.

She has represented Canada on the international stage, holding titles such as Mrs. Canada 2017 and Ms. Galaxy 2013, using these platforms to further her advocacy for children and women’s empowerment. In 2024, she continued to represent Canada – competing at the Miss Universe Canada competition. She emerged as a fast track finalist for the Humanitarian Award and Audience Favourite.

Solange currently serves as the President and CEO of Elevate International, which is an organization dedicated to advancing women’s leadership and economic power globally. As an international speaker, Solange elevates leaders to achieve a humanity first, equity and inclusion approach at all leadership tables. This work is in parallel to her leadership role at Elevate International with the mission of advancing women in leadership and economic growth while creating leadership and mentoring programs for young women. In this role she earned Businesswoman of the Year Award in the Enterprise Leader – Innovation Champion Category.

In her role as UNICEF Canada Ambassador since 2010, Solange has served as spokesperson for National UNICEF Day in Canada and keynote speaker at several of UNICEF’s national and international events, she has been actively advocating for children’s rights to a quality education and access to clean water for many years. For over 12 years, she has the opportunity to continue to meet, empower brave and inspiring girls worldwide.