The same men who are placing all these outrageous restrictions on women’s freedoms in southern Somalia – that type of mentality – that’s what I had to deal with in captivity.

After being in captivity for so long, I can't begin to describe how wonderful it feels to be home in Canada.

Every day I have many choices to make about who I want to be.

A little goes a long way in Somalia: $5 will feed a person there for about two weeks.

The same men who are placing all these outrageous restrictions on women’s freedoms in southern Somalia – that type of mentality – that’s what I had to deal with in captivity.

I know firsthand how critical support systems are.

I used my captors names every chance I had. It was intentional, a way of reminding them that I saw them, of pegging them, of making them see me in return.