Career
Barankitse began providing food and shelter to 25 children on October 25, 1993, one of the worst days of the Burundi Civil War. She saw many people brutally killed before her very own eyes and gathered 25 children who were there as well so she could help them. With the help of European and Burundian friends she organized a help network that managed to provide care for a growing number of children.
In May 1994 the Roman Catholic Bishop of Ruyigi, Bishop Joseph Nduhirubusa agreed to transform a former school into a children"s shelter called "Maison Shalom".
Her activities expanded to other cities such as Butezi and Gizuru where she opened other children"s shelters. In 2004 an estimated 20,000 children had benefited from her help, either directly or indirectly.
The scope of her action, as well as the fact that she protects all children without consideration of their origin, Tutsi or Hutu, brought her praise from all corners of the world:
1998: « prix des droits de l"homme » (Human Rights award) of the French government
2000: North-South Prize from the Council of Europe
2003: World"s Children"s Prize for the Rights of the Child
2004: Nansen Refugee Award
2008: Opus Prize
2008: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Prize
In June 2009, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg, United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund Eminent Advocate for Children, visited Maison Shalom during a tour of Burundi. In October 2011, the Grand Duchess welcomed Marguerite Barankitse to Luxembourg to open a photographic exhibition in support of Maison Shalom.
On November 24, 2011, Marguerite Barankitse received the Prize for Conflict Prevention from the hands of Kofi Annan.
The Conflict Prevention Prize is awarded every year by the Fondation Chirac, launched in 2008 by former French president Jacques Chirac. In March 2016 Marguerite was one of four finalists nominated for the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity, an award given to humanitarians in memory of the Armenian Genocide.
