Somali Education Fund
Aqoon La'aan Waa Iftiin La'aan
To Be Without Knowledge, Is To Be Without Light
Year One
Our First Meeting
November 26, 2016
On November 26, 2016, the Somali Education Fund was born. About 20 students gathered in a classroom at Carleton University to discuss how they could support youth in Somalia. All we had was a board full of ideas, a whole lot of hope and trust in our Creator. Turns out that was all we needed to kickstart and amazing journey. The rest, as they say, is history.
First Bake Sale
We had our first bake sale in January 2017. From 9 am to 5 pm we sat in the tunnels of our school and sold baked goods to anyone who stopped by. By the end of the bake sale, we had raised $568! At the time that amounted to 11 months of a child's education. It still blows our minds that 8 hours of our time could amount to something so meaningful.
January 26, 2016
First Event
February 25, 2017
The History of the Horn is the first event the SEF ever held. Through this event, we hoped to address the lack of knowledge about Somali history among our generation. Our esteemed speakers took us on a brief journey of our past starting with ancient Somali history, followed by colonization and the subsequent struggle for independence. We ended the night on an optimistic note by discussing the future of our people. We want to emphasize hope, positivity, and the unlimited potential of the Somali youth today who will lead us to tomorrow.
Proceeds from the event went to funding the education of the children we support.
Carleton University Islam Awareness Week
Every year the Carleton University Muslim Student Association holds an event known as Islam Awareness Week (IAW) at the center of the university. In addition to engaging the community in thoughtful discussions about Islam, the IAW team also raises funds for a cause throughout their five-day event. In 2017 the SEF was very fortunate to be that cause. Over $7,000 was raised during the event, which was roughly half of our goal that year! We are forever indebted to the IAW 2017 team.
March 24-29, 2017
Spirit of Ramadan
June 24, 2017
After meeting our goal for the year we decided to take it one step further. As we all know, new clothes are a fun part of Eid celebrations. Unfortunately, this is an unaffordable luxury for many children around the world. During Ramadan, we successfully fundraised enough money to buy a new outfit for each of the kids we support. Due to the help of Allah swt and the support of our community we were even able to surpass the goal!
