Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight. I'm Robin Basselin.
Voice 2
And I'm Steve Meyerso. This program uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
Maggy ran from house to house. Her children ran with her. She had seven children. She was frightened and looking for a place to hide her family. It was October of 1993 and a war had just begun in her home country, Burundi.
Voice 2
People from the Hutu and Tutsi tribes were fighting. Maggy was Tutsi and so were three of her children. However, the other four children were Hutu. You see, Maggy had adopted her children. They were orphans - children without families. So Maggy had invited these children to be part of her family.
Voice 1
But on that night, no one would let Maggy's whole family stay at their house. Hutu families said they would protect the Hutu children. Tutsi families said they would protect Maggy and the Tutsi children. But no one would protect them all. And Maggy wanted her family to stay together.
Voice 2
So Maggy went to the one person she knew would help - the local Catholic bishop. This Christian leader hid Maggy, her family and many other Hutu adults. Maggy thought they were finally safe.
Voice 1
However, on October 24th 1993, Tutsi soldiers attacked the bishop's home. Maggy was not killed because she was Tutsi. Instead, she was tied up and forced to watch as the soldiers killed 72 people and burned the building.
Voice 2
Maggy was shocked and deeply saddened by what she saw. But even during this terrible situation, she did not think about herself. Instead, she thought about the children - both her children and the children whose parents had just been killed. On that night, Maggy paid the soldiers to not kill or kidnap 25 children. These children were now all orphans and refugees of war.
Voice 1
On that terrible night, Maggy began a new life's work. She knew that these children, and many more like them, needed care and protection. Today's Spotlight will be on Maggy Barankitse and her work to care for child refugees.
Voice 2
After the attack at the bishop's home, Maggy became responsible for over 30 children. She knew that she could not care for all of them in her home. So Maggy decided to start Maison Shalom or House of Peace.
Voice 1
House of Peace became a place where children of any tribe, religion or social class were welcome. The home began in an old school. It was a simple idea. Maggy and the older children cared for the younger children. They worked together to harvest crops from Maggy's family farm to feed everyone.
Voice 2
As the war continued, hundreds of child refugees came to House of Peace for protection and care. Many people did not understand why Maggy stayed and cared for these children. She explained her reason to the UNICEF organization.
Voice 3
"I know in my heart that evil will never win... Everyone thinks I am insane and that I have lost my reason - even my family! I say yes, I am insane, but you are insane too because you have started to kill. Who has lost their reason more - someone who is killing or someone who is trying to save lives?"
Voice 1
As the work of House of Peace grew, Maggy gained support from all over the world. With this support, Maggy opened two centers for mentally and physically injured children in Burundi. She also opened three more homes or "children's villages" for orphaned or separated children. These villages provide a "family" and resources for the children.
Voice 2
House of Peace also provides education and skill training. Hard work is an important part of House of Peace. Children learn to take care of a family and house. They also learn business skills in the centers' film theatre, restaurant, hair cutting store, and hotel.
Voice 1
Maggy thinks it is important that the children learn to work and support themselves. However, Maggy thinks the most important things to teach the children are peace and forgiveness. Maggy told UNICEF the reason she started House of Peace.
Voice 3
"I wanted to show to my people that when there is justice and love it is possible to live in peace."
Voice 2
Maggy has been recognized often for her work. She has won many awards, including the Voice of Courage Award, the Nansen Refugee Award, and the two thousand eight [2008] Opus Prize. The Opus Prize is a one million [$1,000,000] dollar prize given for excellent work to help humanity. This is one of the largest awards of its kind.
Voice 1
When Maggy won the prize, she danced and clapped her hands with joy. She told reporters,
Voice 3
"I would like to have ten million [$10,000,000] - I have more than fifty thousand [50,000] children - and then I could help them all."
Voice 2
Maggy did use the prize money to help her children. She opened a one hundred and twenty [120] bed hospital in Burundi.
Voice 1
Many people call Maggy ‘Burundi's Mother Teresa'. Other people call her the Angel of Burundi. Both names represent her spirit and work. But Maggy is clear that her work through House of Peace is not her own. She told the Opus Prize foundation,
Voice 3
"I believe it is a mission, it is a life's work. I am full of hope. This is the hand of God at work."
Voice 2
By the end of the Burudian Civil war in 2005, three hundred thousand [300,000] Burundians had been killed. And two hundred thousand [200,000] other Burudians had fled the country as refugees. Even more people were refugees within Burundi - like the children that Maggy cares for.
Voice 1
However, since 1993, House of Peace has helped over fifty thousand [50,000] child and adult refugees. And if Maggy has her way, this number will only grow.
Voice 2
Sadly, Burundi is only one example of the world's refugee crisis. In fact, all over the world today, there are more than eleven million [11,000,000] refugees living in foreign countries. There are also nearly fourteen million [14,000,000] IDPs - people who live like refugees within their own country. All these people have lost their homes for many reasons like war or natural disasters.
Voice 1
The number of refugees may seem large. But, Maggy's life is an example of the difference one person can make. Maggy always has hope. Even in times of crisis, she believes that evil will not win. Maggy continues to dream about ways she can help people. And through her words, she encourages all people to dream too. She says,
Voice 3
"With each of our dreams, we move humanity forward."
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