Princess Esmeralda Meets Humanitarian Who Saved 20,000 Children

Princess Esmeralda, aunt of King Philippe of Belgium, twittered a photo of herself with the ‘tireless and courageous’ humanitarian worker Marguerite Barankitse.

Barankitse began providing food and shelter to 25 children on October 25, 1993, one of the worst days of the civil war in Burundi. She used her network in Europe and Burundi to extendher help efforts. In 1994 she converted a former school into a shelter for children. The shelter was renamed ‘Maison Shalom’ and helps all children regardless of their ethnic background. In 2004 it was estimated that 20.000 children had directly or indirectly been helped by Barankiste.

Princess Esmeralda is not the only royal who took and interest in the amazing work of Barankitse. In 2009 visited Maison Shalom in Burundi. In 2011 Barankitse was invited to Luxembourg where she and the Grand Duchess opened a photographic exhibition about the shelter.

Rencontre a Bxl avec l'infatigable et courageuse Maggy Barankitse qui se bat pour les femmes et enfants du #Burundi pic.twitter.com/01zsj2tNz5

— Esme (@esmeraldadereth) February 25, 2016

 

Filed under Belgium
Tagged Princess Esméralda of Belgium.