A conversation with Burundian Humanitarian Marguerite Barankitse

Burundian humanitarian Marguerite "Maggy" Barankitse, is the founder of Maison Shalom, an organization dedicated to uplifting disadvantaged children and breaking down ethnic barriers in her country. For more than 25 years, Maison Shalom—or “Peace House”—has offered over 20,000 children a safe haven, healthcare, and education. Forced to leave Burundi in 2015, Maggy became a refugee herself, but she tells me that her mission never changed. Now, through her new organization, Oasis of Peace, she provides psychosocial support, schooling, vocational training, and income-generating programs to more than 90,000 Burundian refugees in Rwanda. Ms Barankitse is a recipient of the prestigious 2016 Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity.