Clemantine Wamariya

I'm still coping with my trauma, but coping by trying to find different ways to heal it rather than hide it. ”

I am thankful to those who've listened to my story over and over as well as those who've helped me share it. For me, the act of storytelling is an act of healing. ”

I want to listen to people's stories and find strength in them. There is so much human-caused pain and suffering in the world. I want to honor all those difficult experiences and acknowledge their aftermath. At the same time, I want to really see and love the world around me. ”

Everything I own in my closet has a story. Stuff is not just stuff - things were given to me with love. ”

My formal speaking career began before a group of 10 third-graders. We drew pictures of my home in Rwanda. I told them about my mother's huge garden and our mango tree. The lessons I taught were simple. Play nicely. Take care of plants. Take care of people. ”

I think, when you survive any intense experience, people try to moralize you; a lot of people just try to raise you high, and it's so not fair to you and to everybody else. ”

My experiences have shown me that when an opportunity bigger than you comes along and you feel unprepared and doubtful, it is important to permit those emotions and let that energy drive you and inspire you to move forward. ”

You have this one life. If you keep being selfish and unkind, it's going to come back to you. ”

I never thought that being a public speaker would teach me so much about life and make it so beautiful as well. ”

I want to create or be a platform for people who have been labelled as a victim. I'm not going to be their voice; that's their voice. I want to allow people to voice their life beyond labels. ”