RADAR | THE LOCALER
Children’s Birthday Miracles is Changing Young Lives in Calgary
Sairose Kassam measures her success one birthday at a time.
By Will Scott
For Sairose Kassam, community isn’t just a place to live — it’s a shared responsibility. The social worker views service not as an obligation, but as a core element of her Ismaili Muslim faith and a basic duty to humanity. “I like to quote Muhammad Ali,” she says. “He said, ‘Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.’” Kassam came to Canada from Tanzania and met her husband in Calgary, where the two are now raising their daughters.
“This country let us come here. We have to give back somehow. You do it for the community where you live.”
Today, she and her daughter Shaliza, along with a small team of volunteers, run Children’s Birthday Miracles (CBM), a charitable organization which ensures that children from families that can’t celebrate birthdays due to homelessness or poverty get to enjoy a “regular” party. That means cake, face-painting, magicians and performers and, of course, toys and gifts. Since CBM was founded by Shaliza in 2013, more than 3,500 children have benefited from its efforts.
In 2025, Kassam, who is the executive director, was awarded the Stars of Alberta Volunteer Award. “This country let us come here,” she says. “We have to give back somehow. You do it for the community where you live.”
Do you know someone who goes above and beyond? We’d love to hear about them. Email us your nominations and they could be our featured Localer in an upcoming issue.
(Above) Sairose Kassam knows how to give back. (Below) Children’s Birthday Miracles exists because every child deserves a birthday party. | PHOTOS: COURTESY OF SAIROSE KASSAM
Sairose Kassam knows how to give back; Children’s Birthday Miracles exists because every child deserves a birthday party. | PHOTOS: COURTESY OF SAIROSE KASSAM
RADAR | PLAYLIST
What Songs Do You Road Trip to, Wyatt C. Louis?
By Kim Hughes
Wyatt C. Louis is a Plains Cree recording artist from Calgary. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF VANESSA HEINS
Not to overstate things, but Calgary’s Wyatt C. Louis is something of a musical magician. The artist is described as “walking the line between genres like an easy path rather than a tightrope” by Royal Mountain Records, the imprint that issued their widely acclaimed 2024 debut, Chandler. An inimitable storyteller with a voice to match, the Plains Cree singer-songwriter naturally tees up an outstanding set before hitting the road. “These artists and their music have been on heavy rotation. They make me feel present when my head might be somewhere else,” Louis says. “I prefer listening to albums front to back, especially on tour, when I know I’ll be driving for a long while.”
We are providing a preview of the artist’s playlist. The full playlist can be experienced directly on Spotify with a free account. Songs may not be appropriate for everyone. Listener discretion is advised.
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For Sairose Kassam, community isn’t just a place to live — it’s a shared responsibility. The social worker views service not as an obligation, but as a core element of her Ismaili Muslim faith and a basic duty to humanity. “I like to quote Muhammad Ali,” she says. “He said, ‘Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.’” Kassam came to Canada from Tanzania and met her husband in Calgary, where the two are now raising their daughters.
“This country let us come here. We have to give back somehow. You do it for the community where you live.”
Today, she and her daughter Shaliza, along with a small team of volunteers, run Children’s Birthday Miracles (CBM), a charitable organization which ensures that children from families that can’t celebrate birthdays due to homelessness or poverty get to enjoy a “regular” party. That means cake, face-painting, magicians and performers and, of course, toys and gifts. Since CBM was founded by Shaliza in 2013, more than 3,500 children have benefited from its efforts.
In 2025, Kassam, who is the executive director, was awarded the Stars of Alberta Volunteer Award. “This country let us come here,” she says. “We have to give back somehow. You do it for the community where you live.”
Do you know someone who goes above and beyond? We’d love to hear about them. Email us your nominations and they could be our featured Localer in an upcoming issue.
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