As a young person caught in the devastation of war – or maybe because of that – Semira Saba Kifle dreamed of becoming a nurse. She realized that dream, graduating from the Algonquin College Practical Nursing diploma program in 2018, after 18 years as a Personal Support Worker (PSW).

The documentary "The Forgotten" directed by Eritrean American Sabrina Aman will be screening in Ottawa, Friday Nov. 23rd and in Toronto, Saturday Nov. 24th.

Following each documentary screening, there will be a discussion with the filmmakers moderated by CBC News Anchor Adrian Harewood in Ottawa, and CBC News Anchor Aarti Pole in Toronto.

Eritrean Canadian researcher Munira Abdulwasi is running a series of talks focused on raising awareness about mental health issues.

Munira Abdulwasi is a PhD candidate studying Kinesiology and Health Science at York University. Her research interests include marginalized individuals living with chronic disease and the health needs of Canadian Aboriginal veterans. She was awarded funding through the York University Agents of Change competition to implement a Health Promotion Series at TARIC Islamic Centre in Toronto.

Muslim Link interviewed Munira about her work with TARIC and why she feels mosques can be sites of health promotion on a variety of topics, particularly mental health. 

Local Eritrean Canadians have come together to found Afaagh Association, a Canadian-based registered charitable organization, dedicated to helping the forgotten Eritrean refugees living in Eastern Sudan. On Friday May 19, they had their organizational launch and first fundraising event in Ottawa with Shaykh Abdalla Idris Ali. 

"You never really know the impact of a person until they are taken away," said Wader Jemmie, sister of Jabeir Jemmie. Jabeir, at 21, became Ottawa's fourth homicide victim this year; a crime which remains unsolved.

When I tell my friends that I volunteer with the Ottawa Police Service they think it's awesome. Although many times I receive questions like, “Oh, you want to be a police officer?” or a “Do you get to use a gun?”

Here is what I actually do: I volunteer with the Ottawa Police Service's Youth Advisory Committee (YAC).  YAC hopes to become the liaison between the youth and the police, in the hope that this relationship will make Ottawa a safer place. YAC works to address the issues that youth are facing and to meet their needs.