TREENA MIELKE/Rimbey Review
A Red Deer College student has been busy doing her part to make sure at least some women from Somali will also have an opportunity to obtain post-secondary education.
Emily Falk, who lives in Rimbey and is a fourth-year sociology student at the college, and her friend Amanda Small from Stony Plain, recently raised more than $8,000 by biking the 200 kilometres to Canmore from Red Deer.
The young women left Red Deer on July 11 and arrived in Canmore on the afternoon of July 12, spending nine hours on the road.
The money Falk and Small raised will provide funds for two Somali women to attend university for four years and will include fees for texbooks, school supplies and living expenses.
The opportunity for women in Somalia to attend university comes through funds raised for the Somali Women’s Scholarship Program established by Amanda Lindhout, the reporter who was kidnapped and held captive for 15 months in that country.
Only four months after her release, Lindhout established the scholarship program and The Global Enrichment Foundation.
Falk said in 2010 and 2011, 11 women were able to go to university through the scholarship program.
“Next year they hope to send 25 and over the next four years they hope to send 100 women.”
Falk said raising funds through the bike ride was successful and she hopes it may become a yearly event with more people participating.
“I’m still on a high. It surprised me, people’s generosity and how they are willing to help.”
When the bikers arrived at Canmore they had the opportunity to visit with Lorinda Stewart, Amanda’s mother.
“It was very inspirational,” said Falk. “She is a very strong, caring and resilient woman.”
In May, Falk got together with four of the players from the Grade 9 basketball team she coaches at Hunting Hills High School in Red Deer to participate in the free throws for Somali Women’s Scholarship Program.
Falk, who successfully made 245 of the 300 shots she took, raised more than $3,400 for the scholarship program. As a group $4,300 was raised.
She also plans to approach local businesses about carrying cards with pictures taken by Lindhout. All proceeds from the sale of these cards will go to SWSP.
“There are a lot of things you can do to raise awareness and provide support,” she said.
For more information about The Global Enrichment Foundation check out its website at www.globalenrichmentfoundation.com