16 Facts About Clemantine Wamariya

Joyful Clemantine Wamariya was born on 1988 and is a Rwandan-American author, speaker, and human rights advocate.

Clemantine Wamariya sought refuge with her extended family in the south of the country but was forced to flee again when the genocidaires targeted the family there.

Clemantine Wamariya settled with a family in the Chicago area and began formal schooling for the first time at the age of thirteen.

Clemantine Wamariya gained international attention in 2006 through an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show which featured a surprise reunion with her parents.

Clemantine Wamariya is a 2019 recipient of the Alex Awards.

Clemantine Wamariya's father was a businessman in the taxi sector and her mother was a nurse and gardener, growing fruit and flowers at the family's home.

The Rwandan Genocide began in April 1994, when Clemantine Wamariya was six years old.

Once settled in the US, Clemantine Wamariya began attending school for the first time at the age of thirteen.

Clemantine Wamariya studied from the sixth grade at a Christian Heritage Academy, before moving to the New Trier High School in nearby Winnetka.

Clemantine Wamariya first became known on the national and international stage when she appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2006, while still a student at New Trier.

Clemantine Wamariya was invited as a guest on the Oprah show on three further occasions during the subsequent years, and her appearances on the show gained her international attention.

Clemantine Wamariya developed an interest in the art of Storytelling during her school years, as she shared her experiences with fellow students.

Clemantine Wamariya's engagements have included a TED talk, titled War and What Comes After, lunch and dinner speeches, and appearances at fundraising events.

Clemantine Wamariya was re-appointed for a second five-year term in 2016.

Clemantine Wamariya recounted her life experiences to Weil, and the two started drafting a feature-length article.

The title of the book is The Girl Who Smiled Beads; this refers to a story told to her by her nanny as a child, in which Clemantine Wamariya controlled the plot and destiny of the characters.