Clemantine Wamariya (b,1988) Rwandan-American author

Joyful Clemantine Wamariya at the age of 6 , with her older sister Claire,was forced to leave her home in Rwanda following the Rwandan Genocide in April. 1994. They went first to their grandparents but they were also targeted. They sought refuge in 7 countries over 6 years until they were granted refugee asylum in the USA in 2000.

She began formal schooling at the age of 13.

In 2006 she submitted an essay for a national high school contest on Elie Wiesel’s Holocaust Memoir, Night. She won and was invited to go on the Oprah Winfrey show with her sister. To their wonderful surprise their parents, who they knew had survived the genocide,had been flown in from Rwanda. They had spoken on the 'phone but had not seen them for 12 years.

After her appearance on the show event organizers, especially in the humanitarian aid sector, have invited her to speak.

While at Yale she carried her storytelling across the USA for the United Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM). President Obama in recognition of her work appointer her to the Board.

She has since appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show 3 times and her appearances have gained her international attention.

She studied comparative literature at Yale University.

After university she met Elizabeth Weil. What started as a feature- length article two years later in 2018 resulted in The Girl Who Smiles Beads: A story about War and What comes After. The book became a New York Times best seller

Clemantine now works as a human rights advocate fighting for the unprivileged
and championing justice.