Supporter spotlight: How family and experience shaped Yousry Bissada’s commitment to giving back

When Yousry Bissada speaks about giving back, it’s not abstract, it’s rooted in lived experience, shaped by the journey that brought him to where he is today. His story is one of displacement, resilience, and rebuilding, shaped by the experience of arriving in Canada as a child and watching his family start over from scratch. Today, as President and CEO of HomeEquity Bank, he carries those lessons forward, guiding both his leadership and his commitment to creating opportunity for others.

Yousry arrived in Canada from Ethiopia in 1973 as a child, alongside his mother and two younger siblings, after fleeing civil war. While a strong support network in Toronto helped his family find their footing here, he found it hard to build friendships in high school. He recalls classmates talking about hockey, a sport he wasn’t familiar with, which made it difficult to join in. Determined to connect, he taught himself the game by reading the sports section of the newspaper and watching Saturday night broadcasts, gradually coming to understand Canada’s beloved pastime. Before long, hockey became his gateway to friendships and a sense of community.

Although his family had to leave a comfortable life in Ethiopia, Yousry never felt like anything was missing anything in his life in Canada. He thinks that what kept him feeling optimistic about his new life was his mother’s strength. She arrived in Canada with limited English and no prior work experience; she took her first job at a dry-cleaning shop. It wasn’t easy, but she embraced it fully. Day by day, through conversations with customers, she learned the language and began to rebuild.

Over time, through persistence and quiet determination, Yousry’s mother built a career that eventually led her to a role at Ryerson, where she would retire many years later. “My mother is one of my mentors, she’s an amazing human,” Yousry says. He remembers her doing everything to ensure her children had every opportunity to succeed in their new country.

As he began considering university, Yousry wasn’t sure what he wanted to pursue. He enrolled in the University of Toronto’s Bachelor of Commerce program but soon realized it wasn’t the right fit. He decided to take a year off to better understand what he wanted to pursue. Working during that time gave him greater clarity, leading him to return to school part-time to complete his accounting degree. This decision laid the foundation for his career in financial services, where he would go on to hold the role of President and CEO at Home Trust and Home Capital Group.

Years later, when Yousry learned about Windmill Microlending, the connection felt immediate. The organization’s mission reflected something deeply familiar. He thought of his own family and friends who arrived in Canada as trained professionals, only to find themselves starting over. They worked tirelessly, balancing jobs and studies to re-establish their themselves. Without the support of family, he believes their journey would have been far more difficult, if not impossible.

By supporting Windmill, Yousry sees the opportunity for creating more than individual success stories. He sees a stronger, more inclusive Canada – one where talent is not wasted, but where newcomers are given the opportunity to contribute fully. In many ways, this brings his story full circle, reflecting what he has seen firsthand: that with resilience, opportunity and support, people can rebuild and contribute meaningfully to the country they now call home.