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May 2nd, 2026
On Saturday May 2th, members from local 6004 and elected leadership including Unifor National President Lana Payne and Ontario Regional Director Samia Hashi attended the Somali Hope Foundation’s annual gala in Ottawa, Ontario. The gala, the final event of its kind for the Foundation, marked 16 years of community engagement and fundraising in the national capital region.
The Somali Hope Foundation is an international NGO behind the Somali Hope Academy. It is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing access to education to underprivileged children in Somalia.
At the event, Samia Hashi delivered a $45,000 donation on behalf of Unifor’s Social Justice Fund and the union to the Somali Hope Foundation. Today, more than 1000 students attend the school, which also provides adult education to the surrounding communities.
“Delivering free, accessible, high-quality, equitable education to children in rural Somalia, is quite literally changing lives,” said Samia Hashi. “Education is the foundation for building stronger families, stronger communities, and a stronger future.”
“The Somali Hope Foundation is such a powerful example of how local communities, like the community here in Ottawa, can build international solidarity. I’m proud that Unifor’s Social Justice Fund is able to support their work,” said Unifor's National President Lana Payne.
Local 6004 President Ahmed Ismail sits on the Board of the Somali Hope Foundation, carrying out trade union principals of social justice through the incredible work of the Somali Hope Academy.