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show/hide details Page protected with pending changes level 1 Amanda Lindhout Amanda Lindhout Born June 12, 1981 (age 32) Residence Canmore, Alberta[1] Nationality Canadian Occupation Journalist, Humanitarian, Author Organization Global Enrichment Foundation Home town Red Deer, Alberta, Canada[1] Awards 2014 CBC Bookie Award for Best Canadian Nonfiction Website amandalindhout.com Amanda Lindhout (born June 12, 1981)[2] is a Canadian humanitarian and journalis t. In 2008, she and members of her entourage were kidnapped by Islamist insurgen ts in southern Somalia. She was released 15 months later on November 25, 2009,[3 ] and has since embarked on a philanthropic career.[4] In 2013, she released the New York Times bestseller A House in the Sky: A Memoir, in which she recounts h er hostage experience.[5] Contents [hide] 1 Early life 2 Journalism career 2.1 Press TV 2.2 Abduction 3 Memoir 4 Humanitarian career 4.1 Speaking engagements 4.2 The Global Enrichment Foundation 4.3 Return to Africa 5 Awards and honours 6 See also 7 References 8 Further reading 9 External links Early life[edit] Lindhout was born in 1981 in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada.[1] She and her brother w ere raised by her mother Lorinda, with Amanda spending much of her youth reading National Geographic Magazine.[6] Lindhout's father had chronic health problems, and depended on disability payments. Her mother held a minimum-wage job.[7] Lin dhout had early aspirations to become a model and did some brief modelling work. She also considered enrolling in a beautician's school.[8] Journalism career[edit] Press TV[edit] At the age of 24, Lindhout quit her job as a cocktail waitress to become a journ alist.[9] She used her salary from the bar she worked at to finance reporting tr ips to various conflict zones around the world.[10] Lindhout began her new journ alism career in Afghanistan, arriving in the capital Kabul in May 2007. She late r moved on to an assignment in Bagdhad, Iraq in January 2008,[9] where she worke d on a freelance basis for Iran's state television Press TV.[11] This led some C anadian reporters to criticize her, due to Press TV's reputation for producing s tate propaganda.[12] While in Iraq, reports indicated that Lindhout had been kid napped in Sadr City. She was said to have been released several hours later, aft er paying a ransom to her abductors.[9] However, Lindhout in her book denied hav ing been kidnapped in Iraq. She wrote that she was instead taken to the Sadr Par ty Headquarters and questioned about her political affiliations, and that she wa

s able to call an Iraqi friend who ensured they were released within the hour.[1 3] Abduction[edit] At the time of Lindhout's abduction in Somalia, she was reportedly not affiliate d with any news organization other than Alberta's Red Deer Advocate.[10] She wro te a column for the small daily.[14] Several media reports suggested that Lindho ut was in Somalia on assignment for France 24. However, Nathalie Lenfant, a spok esman for the organization, indicated that Lindhout had only sent a few reports to the news agency from Iraq. Lenfant also stated that France24 had declined two proposals by Lindhout to serve as a correspondent for the organization in Iraq and Somalia, respectively. According to Lenfant, the news agency later decided t o confirm that Lindhout was on a freelance assignment for it because France24 re presentatives "thought it would be better if she could be seen to be part of the structure of a larger company".[10] On August 23, 2008, two days after having arrived in Mogadishu, Amanda Lindhout and Nigel Brennan, a 37-year-old freelance Australian photojournalist from Brisb ane, were kidnapped along with their Somali translator, Abdifatah Mohammed Elmi, their driver, Mahad Isse, and a driver from the Shamo Hotel, Marwali. They were on their way to conduct interviews at an IDP camp when they were stopped by gun men.[15] The abductors were teenage insurgents from the Hizbul Islam fundamental ist group.[4] The two were kidnapped in lieu of two more experienced journalists (one of which was National Geographic Magazine reporter Robert Draper), who had that morning beefed up their security before leaving to examine a refugee camp. Because of this move, Lindhout and Brennan were kidnapped instead.[16] On September 17, Al Jazeera featured footage of Lindhout and Brennan in captivit y surrounded by gunmen.[17] On October 13, 2008, the kidnappers demanded a ranso m of US$2.5 million by October 28. On February 23, 2009, the Canadian Associatio n of Journalists urged Prime Minister Stephen Harper to help secure the release of Lindhout and Khadija Abdul Qahaar, a Canadian woman who was kidnapped in Nove mber.[18] Elmi and the two drivers were released on January 15, 2009.[19] The kidnappers l ater lowered the ransom demand to $1 million.[20] On June 10, 2009, CTV News received a phone call from a tearful Lindhout who see med to be reading a statement: "My name is Amanda Lindhout and I am a Canadian c itizen and I've been held hostage by gunmen in Somalia for nearly 10 months. I'm in a desperate situation. I'm being kept in a dark, windowless, room in chains without any clean drinking water and little or no food. I've been very sick for months without any medicine.... I love my country and want to live to see it aga in. Without food or medicine, I will die here."[21] On November 25, 2009, after 460 days as a hostage, Lindhout and Brennan were rel eased following a ransom payment made by their families, through a private firm that specializes in kidnappings and ransom payments.[22][23] She was hospitalize d in Nairobi for two weeks and treated for acute malnourishment.[24] Following h er release, Lindhout said she found the coverage of her ordeal to be sensational .[25] In September 2013, Tina Brown of the Daily Beast was accused of falsely pr inting stories about Lindout during her captivity, including an incorrect story about an alleged Lindhout pregnancy that never took place. A resulting retractio n was printed by National Public Radio in response to Brown's comments.[26] Memoir[edit] In 2013, Lindhout released a memoir, co-written with journalist Sara Corbett, ti tled A House in the Sky recounting her experience as a hostage. She indicated in the book that her motive for travelling to Somalia in the midst of an insurgenc y was the dearth of competition from other journalists covering the region, as w

ell as the possibility of documenting unique human interest stories. Once held h ostage, she alleged that she and Brennan were forcibly separated since they were not married, and that she was subsequently repeatedly tortured and raped by her teenage captors. Lindhout asserted that she and Brennan had converted to Islam to both appease their abductors and make life easier for themselves.[27][28] Whi le it has been reported that Lindhout had given birth to a boy named Osama while in captivity, she dismissed such rumours as "gossip, one of dozens of unconfirm ed stories that had floated out of Somalia since our capture ... Somalia seemed to be a factory for rumors, with a handful of news websites and uncredentialed b loggers pumping out what passed for information."[29] Chris Selley of The National Post wrote that the book was "bloody good journalis m".[30] Eliza Griswold of the New York Times said of the book that, "Her tale, e xquisitely told with her co-author, Sara Corbett, a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine, is much more than a gonzo adventure tale gone awry it s a young woman s harrowing coming-of-age story and an extraordinary narrative of for giveness and spiritual triumph."[6] The USA Today wrote about her experience tha t, "The wide-eyed optimism and unflappable determination that led her to danger also kept her alive. In the months she lived in darkness and in chains, she held onto her sanity by escaping to memories of her world travels, picturing the viv id images in the old issues of National Geographic she found while dumpster-divi ng as a child."[31] The book became a New York Times bestseller,[5] and was named one of the The Glo be Books 100: Best Canadian non-fiction by the Globe and Mail.[32] It was also n amed the 2013 Best Book of the Year in the Biographies & Memoirs category by Ama zon.com,[33] in addition to the Best Books of the Year list published by Vogue M agazine.[34] O Magazine listed the book as one of its recommendations on its Win ter 2014 reading list.[35] It was also the winner of the 2014 CBC Bookie Award f or Best Canadian Nonfiction.[36] The book received criticism from some journalists.[37][38][39][40] Some of Lindh out's retelling of events contradict those found in the earlier published memoir of her co-captor, Nigel Brennan.[41][42] Humanitarian career[edit] Speaking engagements[edit] Amanda Lindhout at a speaking engagement. Lindhout studied Development Leadership at the COADY International Institute at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia and is the executive director of th e Global Enrichment Foundation.[43] Lindhout has become a much sought after spea ker on the topics of forgiveness, compassion, social responsibility and women's rights.[44] In 2009, Lindhout spoke alongside Eckhart Tolle, best-selling author of The Powe r of Now, in Vancouver on the power of forgiveness. In 2010 Lindhout addressed the United Nations Association in Ottawa, Canada abou t women's rights.[45] In July 2010 Google Ideas had Lindhout moderate a panel of former violent extrem ists at the Summit Against Violent Extremism in Dublin, Ireland. The event was t he largest gathering of former violent extremists to ever take place and was org anized by Google, the Council of Foreign Relations and the Tribeca Film Festival . Lindhout moderated a panel which included a former Somali militant with Al-Sha baab, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed. She asked Mohamed how he justified the injuries and deaths to civilians while a member of the insurgent group, but he instead a ddressed the political motives that drove him to join the outfit.[46]

The Global Enrichment Foundation[edit] In 2010, Lindhout founded the Global Enrichment Foundation to create more opport unities in Somalia by offering university scholarships to women. Lindhout curren tly serves as the organization's Executive Director, with Ahmed Hussen, the pres ident of the Canadian Somali Congress, acting as the Fund's co-director.[4] Aura la Warsame, a Somali researcher at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, superv ises the program and vetted the first applicants.[47] In response to why she established the Foundation despite her ordeal, Lindhout t old the CBC's The National "You can very easily go into anger and bitterness and revenge thoughts and resentment and 'Why me?'[...] Because I had something very , very large and very painful to forgive, and by choosing to do that, I was able to put into place my vision, which was making Somalia a better place[...] I've never questioned whether or not it was the right thing to do[...] What else to d o after the experience that I had, than something like this?"[47] In conjunction with various private university institutions across Somalia, the GEF's Somali Women's Scholarship Program (SWSP) offers higher education opportun ities to women in Somalia on a contribution basis.[48] Lindhout's foundation aim s to annually send 100 women in the country to university for the next four year s,[4] and is sponsoring tertiary education for 36 women, who are expected to go one to become teachers, doctors, environmentalists and engineers, among other pr ofessions. The GEF also started the SHE WILL micro-loan initiative to financiall y empower widows and other Somali women.[49] In response to the 2011 drought in East Africa, the GEF put into motion its Conv oy for Hope program.[50] The initiative received a $1 million USD donation from the Chobani Yoghurt company.[51] As part of the GEF, teachers with the Memorial Composite also raised funds to sponsor the Sankaroos women's basketball team of Abaarso School in Somalia,[49][52] and a group of high school students in Albert a raised over $23,000 to support the GEF's educational work.[53] In 2012, Lindhout was featured as the face of jewelry company Hillberg & Berk's spring/summer 2012 'Najo Rajo' Collection of Hope. The Regina, Saskatchewan base d company donated $15,000 towards the Global Enrichment Foundation's Somali Wome n's Scholarship Program for Amanda's participation.[54] Return to Africa[edit] Lindhout's work for the Global Enrichment Foundation eventually drew her back to Somalia in July 2011. Accompanied by CBC's The National, who filmed a documenta ry about her titled Return To Africa,[55] Lindhout visited the Dadaab refugee co mplex in Kenya to research a $60 million educational project for children in the camp, many of whom fled the conflict in southern Somalia. Lindhout attempted to reconcile her fear of abduction with her deep commitment to helping the asylum seekers. However, her efforts were criticized by Badu Katelo, Kenya's commission er for refugees, who suggested that the best solution to the issue was through m ilitary intervention in Somalia's conflict zones. Katelo characterized Lindhout' s initiative as "small [...] It's a drop in the ocean. It's not anything to rely on to bring peace to Somalia. I think if education was to bring peace in Somali a, then it should've happened a long time ago because in 1991, when refugees cam e here, they were all educated". Lindhout responded that "to anyone who's questi oning us right now, that's fine[...] That's fair. It is an incredibly challengin g environment to work in, but time will tell the story."[56] On August 4, 2011, Lindhout travelled back to Somalia for the first time since h er captivity. Leading a large convoy carrying food aid for 14,000 people in the southern Somalia town of Dobley, she was welcomed by Somalia's Transitional Fede ral Government. Lindhout described the trip as also "an opportunity for me to lo this fear that I have been carrying around w ok at that fear and maybe let it go

ith me for some time".[57] Her Convoys For Hope project continued to provided re lief and expects to assist 300,000 more people during the drought.[58] Awards and honours[edit] On February 23, 2010, Alberta MLA Manmeet Bhullar spoke of Lindhout's release on the floor of the Alberta Legislature, stating that there was no honour or medal prestigious enough to reward Lindhout for putting her life in danger to help ot hers and for recognizing that her captors were themselves in need of assistance. [59] In June 2012, Lindhout received the Red Deer Women of Excellence Award in H uman Services in recognition of her leadership, compassion and practice in human service programs within the community.[60] In March 2012, she also accepted an invitation from former President of the United States Bill Clinton to participat e on a panel at the annual Clinton Global Initiative University about her humani tarian work in the Horn of Africa with the Global Enrichment Foundation.[61][62] In spring of 2012, Lindhout was asked to be photographed for the book 100 Makin g a Difference by celebrity photographer John Russo, alongside such public figur es as Sophia Loren, Prince Edward, Michelle Obama and Al Gore.[63] See also[edit] Foreign hostages in Somalia References[edit] ^ Jump up to: a b c Brenlee Carrington (September 1, 2013). "15 months in hell". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved November 14, 2013. Jump up ^ "Amanda Lindhout turns 28". June 12, 2009. Archived from the original on December 2, 2009. Retrieved November 25, 2009. Jump up ^ "Canadian journalist Amanda Lindhout freed". CBC.ca. November 25, 2009 . Archived from the original on November 28, 2009. Retrieved November 25, 2009. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Woods, Allan (May 25, 2010). "Amanda Lindhout Speaks out f or women in Somalia". Toronto Star. ^ Jump up to: a b Cowles, Gregory (November 25, 2013). "Best Sellers -September 29, 2013". New York Times. ^ Jump up to: a b Eliza Griswold (September 6, 2013). "Journey Into Darkness". N ew York Times. Retrieved November 14, 2013. Jump up ^ Rosemary Westwood (September 6, 2013). "Escape from hell". Retrieved N ovember 14, 2013. Jump up ^ "Amateur hour". .canada.com. December 1, 2009. Retrieved January 23, 2 014. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Nigel Brennan and Amanda Lindhout's horrific ordeal as host ages in Somalia". Herald Sun. September 2. Retrieved September 5, 2013. ^ Jump up to: a b c Austen, Ian (November 29, 2013). "For Novice Journalists, Ri sing Risks in Conflict Zones". New York Times. Retrieved September 6, 2013. Jump up ^ "The work of kidnapped journalist Amanda Lindhout". National Post. Aug ust 23, 2009. Retrieved November 25, 2009.[dead link] Jump up ^ "Canada's 'gutsy' forgotten hostage". Toronto: thestar.com. Retrieved August 6, 2011. Jump up ^ Amanda Lindhout and Sara Corbett (2013). A House in the Sky: A Memoir. Simon & Schuster. Retrieved November 14, 2013. Jump up ^ "Canadian Amanda Lindhout freed in Somalia". CBC. November 25, 2009. R etrieved November 28, 2011. Jump up ^ "Canadian journalist reported abducted in Somalia". CBC.ca. August 23, 2008. Retrieved November 25, 2009. Jump up ^ Robert Draper (September 4, 2013). "WHY HER AND NOT ME? ROBERT DRAPER ON AMANDA LINDHOUT'S KIDNAPPING". Elle Magazine. Retrieved November 14, 2013. Jump up ^ "Foreign media say Somali kidnappers will kill Lindhout if ransom isn' t paid". October 13, 2008. Retrieved November 25, 2009. Jump up ^ "No word on Alberta journalist kidnapped in Somalia". CBC.ca. February 23, 2009. Retrieved November 25, 2009.[dead link] Jump up ^ "Cbc.ca". Cbc.ca. January 16, 2009. Retrieved August 6, 2011. Jump up ^ Dawn Walton (August 4, 2009). "Theglobeandmail.com". Toronto: Theglobe andmail.com. Retrieved August 6, 2011.

Jump up ^ "Kidnapped Alberta journalist calls CTV News". CTVcalgary.ca. CTV. Ret rieved December 3, 2011. Jump up ^ http://www..macleans.ca/2013/09/06/escape-from-hell/ Jump up ^ "Canadian Amanda Lindhout freed in Somalia". CBC.ca (CBC). November 25 , 2009. Retrieved December 3, 2011. Jump up ^ "Freed foreign journalists in Kenyan hospital". Seattletimes.com (Seat tle Times). November 26, 2009. Retrieved December 3, 2011. Jump up ^ Rebecca Johnson. "A Captive's Tale: Amanda Lindhout on the Story of He r Somalia Kidnapping". Vogue Magazine. Retrieved November 14, 2013. Jump up ^ Erik Wemple (September 6, 2013). "NPR runs Tina Brown correction". Was hington Post. Retrieved April 16, 2014. Jump up ^ Mohan, Keerthi (September 2, 2013). "Amanda Lindhout, Who Was Held Cap tive In Somalia For 15 Months, Opens Up About The Ordeal". International Busines s Times. Retrieved September 3, 2013. Jump up ^ Callahan, Maureen (September 1, 2013). "Naive reporter s living hell as Somalia hostage". New York Post. Retrieved September 3, 2013. Jump up ^ Amanda Lindhout and Sara Corbett (September 10, 2013). A House in the Sky: A Memoir. Simon & Schuster. Jump up ^ Chris Selley (September 20, 2013). "Chris Selley: Amanda Lindhout and her critics". National Post. Retrieved November 14, 2013. Jump up ^ Korina Lopez (September 7, 2013). "'A House in the Sky' opens window i nto horrific reality". USA Today. Retrieved November 14, 2013. Jump up ^ JARED BLAND AND LISAN JUTRAS (November 22, 2013). "The Globe Books 100 : Best Canadian non-fiction". Toronto: The Globe and Mail. Retrieved November 25 , 2013. Jump up ^ "2013 Best Books of the Year: Biographies & Memoirs". Retrieved Novemb er 25, 2013. Jump up ^ "Vogue's Guide to 2013's Best Films, Books, Music, Art, Theater, and T V". Vogue Magazine. December 12, 2013. Retrieved January 28, 2014. Jump up ^ "7 Powerful Memoirs to Kick Off the New Year". O Magazine. December 29 , 2013. Retrieved January 28, 2014. Jump up ^ "The Bookies 2014: The Winners". CBC. Retrieved February 10, 2014. Jump up ^ "Amanda Lindhout and her critics | National Post". Fullcomment.nationa lpost.com. Retrieved February 14, 2014. Jump up ^ The West Australian (September 2, 2013). "Naive waitress reveals hosta ge horror - Yahoo!7". Au.news.yahoo.com. Retrieved February 14, 2014. Jump up ^ "Amateur hour". .canada.com. December 1, 2009. Retrieved February 14, 2014. Jump up ^ Draper, Robert (September 4, 2013). "Amanda Lindhout Kidnapping - Surv ivor's Guilt". ELLE. Retrieved February 14, 2014. Jump up ^ May, Rebecca Le (December 1, 2013). "Kidnap victim Nigel Brennan speak s of ordeal, anger at federal government". News.com.au. Retrieved February 14, 2 014. Jump up ^ Westwood, Rosemary (September 6, 2013). "Escape from hell - Editor's P icks, World". Macleans.ca. Retrieved February 14, 2014. Jump up ^ "The Global Enrichment Foundation, founded by Amanda Lindhout-developi ng strengths already within women to assist them in changing their lives". Globa lenrichmentfoundation.com. August 24, 2010. Archived from the original on July 1 1, 2011. Retrieved August 6, 2011. Jump up ^ Concrete / Visia. "Amanda Lindhout | Global Enrichment Foundation | La vin Speaker Profile". Thelavinagency.com. Archived from the original on July 23, 2011. Retrieved August 6, 2011. Jump up ^ "Kathleen's interview with Amanda Lindhout". CBC Radio (CBC.ca). Retri eved December 5, 2011. Jump up ^ Shephard, Michelle (June 28, 2011). "Ex-skinhead, former Islamic radic al open summit against extremism". Toronto Star (Toronto Star). Retrieved Decemb er 5, 2011. ^ Jump up to: a b "Amanda Lindhout Forgives Captors". CBC. August 24, 2010. Jump up ^ "Somali Women's Scholarship Program". Globalenrichmentfoundation.com. Retrieved February 28, 2013.

^ Jump up to: a b "Amanda Lindhout - GEF" (PDF). Retrieved February 28, 2013. Jump up ^ "Convoy for Hope". Globalenrichmentfoundation.com. August 4, 2011. Ret rieved February 28, 2013. Jump up ^ "Chobani Pledges $1 million to Famine Relief in Africa". Jump up ^ nurun.com (May 12, 2011). "Teachers spread hope through sport". Spruce groveexaminer.com. Retrieved February 28, 2013. Jump up ^ "Students answer call to empower women half a world away". Jump up ^ Clarke, Brennan (December 21, 2011). "Regina jewellery maker banks on reflected shine of stars". The Globe and Mail (Toronto). Retrieved May 22, 2012. Jump up ^ "Amanda Lindhout - Back to Africa". CBC's The National (CBC). Septembe r 2, 2011. Retrieved December 3, 2011. Jump up ^ "Lindhout returns to Africa after kidnapping". CBC.ca (CBC). September 1, 2011. Retrieved December 1, 2011. Jump up ^ Snow, Kate. "Once a kidnap victim in Somalia, she returns to help". Th e Today Show. MSNBC. Retrieved December 1, 2011. Jump up ^ "Lindhout's mission aims to feed 300,000 Somalis". Red Deer Express. R ed Deer Express. Retrieved December 3, 2011. Jump up ^ "Hansard February 23, 2010". Alberta Legislature. Retrieved March 13, 2014. Jump up ^ Stokoe, Jeff (June 12, 2012). "Advocate Staff". Red Deer Advocate. Ret rieved July 3, 2012. Jump up ^ "Local activist recognized by Clinton Global Initiative". Rmoutlook.co m. Retrieved February 28, 2013. Jump up ^ "Crisis in the Horn of Africa: Poverty, Hunger, and Insecurity". Cgiu. org. Retrieved February 28, 2013. Jump up ^ [1] Further reading[edit] Brennan, Nigel (June 27, 2011). The Price of Life: A True Story of Kidnap and Ra nsom. Penguin Books (Australia). ISBN 978-1-921518-78-2. OCLC 704565552. External links[edit] Global Enrichment Foundation Nightmare in Somalia episode of Locked Up Abroad on the National Geographic Chan nel Categories: 1981 birthsCanadian people taken hostagePeople from Red Deer, Albert aLiving peopleCanadian journalistsSt. Francis Xavier University alumniCanadian p hilanthropistsCanadian autobiographersPeople from Canmore, Alberta Navigation menu Create accountLog inArticleTalkReadEditView history Main page Contents Featured content Current events Random article Donate to Wikipedia Wikimedia Shop Interaction Help About Wikipedia Community portal Recent changes Contact page Tools Print/export Languages Polski Suomi ?? Edit links This page was last modified on 20 April 2014 at 20:38.

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