Samantha Fung

Samantha Fung (17), from Canada, living in The Netherlands, spent two years volunteering every lunchtime in her school’s special needs class, building close relationships with the students. During COVID-19, she saw how isolation could make life even harder for children with special needs. She decided to create a new way for them to connect and express themselves.

At 12, Samantha founded Music For Every Child, a youth-led registered charity. The initiative brings certified music therapists into classrooms for weekly group sessions throughout the school year, helping students build communication skills and relationships with their peers.

Eight of Canada’s largest school boards, representing more than 1,200 schools, became education partners. MFEC has since brought music therapy to 40 schools across nine Canadian cities during regular school hours.

Samantha’s work has also inspired a much wider audience. Her story and advocacy have been featured on eight Canadian TV networks, with some programs reaching more than 1 million viewers. She was selected by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario as one of 11 Emerging Leaders of Ontario and was the only high school student to represent Canada at a private dinner with HRH Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh.