I've realized that the world is, in essence, full of banana peels - loaded with things that may unwittingly trip an internal wire in my mind, opening a floodgate of fears without warning.

I have watched lives change. I have seen women gain confidence.

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

Forgiving is not an easy thing to do.

I know firsthand how critical support systems are.

I don't think I'm unusual in that, in my 20s, like many people, I felt invincible.

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.