When we set out to walk from Edmonton to Calgary three days ago, we didn't really know what to expect. Last summer our journey to raise money for clean water in developing communities had us climb Kilimanjaro, but in some ways Alberta's flatlands offer more unforgiving terrain than mountainous peaks.

The night of August 27, 2011, I was the victim of rape. A despicable man intentionally took control of my life and my body, over which I had no power. On August 28, 2011, I became a survivor of rape. Although he had control of me at one moment, he no longer does; I control my life. That one night does not define who I am. I am still Sarelle Sheldon, a very petite young woman with a big personality. Who I am, is what has given me the strength to continue to overcome this battle. Who I am, has given me the courage to turn this unjust experience into something bigger that could help others.

Gwyneth Chapman is a recent Queen's Diamond Jubilee medal recipient and a dedicated activist. She spoke to me about her hope of engaging Toronto's diverse black communities as well as inspire Toronto's new generation of leaders to become more engaged in the political process.

n Canada and abroad - Amnesty International has been an eloquent and powerful voice when it comes to human rights. The Secretary General of the Canadian branch of AI since 2000 -- and a recent Queens Diamond Jubilee medal recipient -- Alex Neve has been a powerful advocate for human rights for decades.

If there is one person in this world we truly envy, it's Victor Chan. For more than 40 years, Chan has had the incredible opportunity to accompany one of our heroes--His Holiness the Dalai Lama--on his world travels. In a new book, Chan shares stories about the Dalai Lama's encounters with world leaders, children living in poverty, activists, and scientists, among others.

In 1990 when Quebec Mohawks were protesting plans by the community of Oka to build a golf course on traditional Mohawk burial grounds, a Canadian soldier thrust his bayonet into the chest of Mohawk teenager named Waneek Horn-Miller, nearly killing her. In the years that followed, Horn-Miller used sports to help overcome her trauma and anger.

U.S. Army infantryman J.R. Martinez was only 19 when he was deployed to Iraq, in 2003. Less than a month into his tour of duty with the elite 101st Airborne, his Humvee hit a roadside bomb. The vehicle was thrown into the air, ejecting three other soldiers. Martinez, trapped inside, was engulfed in flames. The skin on his face, arms and hands burned away.

Amidst the chaos backstage at We Day Seattle, we found a quiet corner to talk with our good friend, the famed actor and activist. Mia Farrow is fearless. She visited our development projects in Haiti just one year after the 2010 earthquake. We couldn't imagine who she would look up to. So on We Day, we asked her.

Even before she was bullied, before she became a role model for victims of schoolyard tormentors and those struggling with mental illness, songstress Demi Lovato knew she wanted to give back. Now, at 20, as an official Ambassador for We Day and Free The Children, Lovato has been busy making a difference. Watch and find out what helping others means to Demi Lovato.

The Archbishop is a South African social rights activist. He rose to worldwide prominence in the 1980s as a staunch opponent of his country's policy of apartheid. He was also the first black South African Archbishop of Cape Town. His irrepressible spirit is particularly awe-inspiring when you consider the South Africa from which he emerged.

Craig and Marc Kielburger, co-founders of Free The Children and Me to We, seek solutions to significant social problems. In this excerpt from their bo...

My project has its roots with my colleagues at the Guatemalan Ministry of Health who, after the initial success in the roll-out of the zinc and oral rehydration salts (ORS) treatment program for diarrhea, started thinking of ways to improve the program and its potential impact. They had the initial idea for what's become the cajita salvavida or "Life-saving Box."

How does a woman who was abused by her father and addicted to drugs by her parents at that age ever get back on her feet? How does she grow up to become a functioning member of society? It can be hard enough for people with parents who care for them to succeed in life and find happiness, but with criminal acts perpetrated by family members this seems impossible.

On October 11, 2012 the world marked the first-ever International Day of the Girl. The celebration was bittersweet, though, given it occurred against the backdrop of worldwide shock and headlines concerning 14-year-old Malala Yousafzai, a young activist from Pakistan, shot in the head by a Taliban member because of her ongoing work and advocacy to ensure more girls get to go to school.

As a dog lover, I will always have the utmost respect and appreciation for the veterinarians that help keep our pups happy and healthy. A portion of proceeds from the Paws Gala will go toward the Chloe Award, which is a $5,000 scholarship that is awarded to an outstanding veterinary student. I wanted to catch up with the winner of the first-ever Chloe Award, University of Guelph veterinary student Francesca Di-Mauro.

A common misconception about Habitat is that our homes are a handout, but what we actually provide is affordable homeownership, with low-income partner families repaying the full market value of their home over time. Last year, the lives of 227 families struggling to break the cycle of poverty began to be transformed as they moved into Habitat homes built in communities across Canada. Homeownership can change lives.