I truly hope readers learn to believe in their imaginations and their ability to shape their own lives. That's what 'The Girl Who Smiled Beads' means to me. Clemantine Wamariya More Quotes by Clemantine Wamariya More Quotes From Clemantine Wamariya No matter what is happening in your life, you always offer tea. Clemantine Wamariya you matter tea life One of my fondest memories growing up in Rwanda was seeing everyone participating in community-building activities. This happened every Saturday at the end of month. People work together in cleaning streets, planting trees, and take care of each other by facilitating productive conversations and actions that are beneficial for the society. Clemantine Wamariya together work memories people When you're in survival mode, you numb yourself. Clemantine Wamariya yourself you numb survival You have this one life. If you keep being selfish and unkind, it's going to come back to you. Clemantine Wamariya back you selfish life As a child growing up in refugee camps, life taught me that many things were impossible. My older sister, Claire, taught me otherwise when her strength and resilience made the impossible possible in the way she worked, behaved, and took control of our lives. Clemantine Wamariya me sister strength life We are all neighbors. Be kind. Be gentle. Clemantine Wamariya neighbors gentle be-kind kind Sharing presumes and creates equality. Clemantine Wamariya creates sharing equality All that I have achieved has been possible not only because of my own strength and perseverance, gained through hardship, but also through other people's support and belief in me. Clemantine Wamariya me perseverance strength people To the young girl who fails to see opportunities around her: Awaken the intellectual curiosity within you. Go on, search for those opportunities and chase after them! Because when you are curious and in 'search mode,' you will meet a lot of people and learn, and when you find opportunities, you will be exhilarated rather than overwhelmed. Clemantine Wamariya you girl curiosity people I want people to know that they are the masters, the queens, kings, and gods of their own story. Clemantine Wamariya own story know people There are millions of people, refugees, who have experienced the same conflicts and struggles I did. They have the same potential to defy the odds and achieve great things. Clemantine Wamariya great great-things achieve people It occurred to me that memorials shouldn't be grand. If you really want to honor the memory of a tragedy, you shouldn't create areas of calm reflection. You should make people uncomfortable. Put them in the shoes of those who perpetrated and those who suffered. Then ask, would they be able to forgive in these situations? Clemantine Wamariya me you shoes people Forgiveness allowed me to wash my burdened past away. Clemantine Wamariya away me forgiveness past Make your education personal. When it matters to you, you will show up. Clemantine Wamariya your will you education If you want to learn about the history of a people, eat their food and drink their beverages. Clemantine Wamariya you food history people I hate light... I feel like at night, it's safer. If anything happens, there's a way to hide at night. Another thing I hate about light is it reminds me about being in a refugee camp and being outside. Clemantine Wamariya me hate light night I'm still coping with my trauma, but coping by trying to find different ways to heal it rather than hide it. Clemantine Wamariya hide find different trying I want to tap into everyone's senses, to touch on our human sensibility. Clemantine Wamariya everyone touch human want There are a lot of great people everywhere. And there are also a lot of not so great people. Clemantine Wamariya everywhere great great-people people I was the most tired 11-year-old in the world. Clemantine Wamariya most tired world
