“The Aurora Prize, for me, means a family, because we create a network, and we are able to be a real family. It was a blessing for me. It was a message that I must never give up.”

Marguerite Barankitse, 2016 Aurora Prize Laureate and Founder of Maison Shalom, reflects on her journey from witnessing the devastating atrocities in Burundi to becoming a tireless advocate offering hope and support to countless others, and expresses her gratitude for being named the inaugural Aurora Prize Laureate.