Amanda Lindhout plans to devote her life to helping the people of Somalia, though she doubts she will ever return to the war-torn country where she was held against her will for more than a year.

The native of Sylvan Lake, Alta., who survived a 15-month captivity after being kidnapped nearly two years ago, recently announced that she planned to raise money to send women to university in Somalia.

“The idea came to me when I was still in captivity and I wondered what I could do — if I survived and was released — to help empower the women of Somalia,” Lindhout told CTV’s Canada AM from Edmonton on Wednesday morning.

“They are incredibly oppressed and there are so many restrictions placed on their freedoms — freedom to have an education, freedom to work and even freedom to move around in society. And I felt like education is the best way and the most fundamental level to empower the women.”

The goal is to raise enough money to send 10 women to school next year, and 100 women over the next four years.

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She has started the Global Enrichment Foundation to do just that.

Lindhout said the scholarship program is now being advertised directly to the women at which it is aimed.

“We’ve been able to do that really successfully in the northern parts of the country where it’s a little bit more stable,” she said.

“In southern Somalia, where it’s a bit more dangerous for women to have an education and to be seen going to school and perhaps to be taken a scholarship from a Western organization, we’ve had to be a little bit more discreet. And so the scholarships are being spread through word of mouth in southern Somalia.”

The Global Enrichment Foundation is still waiting to gain charitable status. In the meantime, donors are sending money through another organization that is providing charitable receipts for the time being.

Lindhout was kidnapped in August 2008 and not released until November of last year.

After her lengthy ordeal in captivity, Lindhout said she is slowly getting back to full health.

“Emotionally, I’m doing fantastic. It’s taking a little bit longer for my physical body to catch up, I’m still suffering the effects of malnutrition,” she said.

“The doctors say that I will be on the full road to recovery soon.”

Asked if she will ever go back to Somalia, Lindhout said it is doubtful.

“I don’t think that’s possible,” she said.

“But I will dedicate my life to helping Somalis around the world in whatever capacity I can from Canada.”

With files from The Canadian Press

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