Dear Marguerite Barankitse

I am writing to you from a small country of Armenia to express my gratitude and thanks for the immense job you’ve done and are still doing for the people and especially children all over the world.

Today’s world is abundant in jealousy, hatred, terrorism, cruelty, venality, anger,  fraud and the list can, unfortunately, be  too long. But amongst the above mentioned there are still people full of love, kindness, honesty, responsibility, and respect towards others and towards those who in a way need their help.

Actually I’m greatly proud to get to know You and Aurora Prize in general. In fact, your stories full of dreadful and life threatening moments inspired me and a kind of awakened the long-hidden goals of my life. And now I am ashamed of not trying to realize them.

When my family was struggling through poverty and hunger to get me and my sisters  good education I was determined to start helping children of poor families to get the same and not be deprived of the chance to become Someone in this world.

However as in most of the cases I did grow up and became what I wanted: a teacher, an English teacher. Therefore, I still strive for more and more and intend to reach the zenith of my career and be happy in my family. But your case awakened my goals as a child – to help others to reach what I could do and be their motivation.

My dream is to open a small school for children of poor families where I can teach them English and not only. There are so many talented kids and children who lack the possibilities but who, let them give the chance, will be able to prove the world that poverty doesn’t limit ones abilities and knowledge. But how on earth can I manage to do what I want, when nobody understands and supports you, when you have to work day and night to make both ends meet.

Dear Marguerite Barankitse, You’ve become the source of my motivation and proof of mine to the world that money doesn’t mean all in this world, that one can help others even not owning great sums of money, that one can give ample love to others regardless of their status in the society and family background. I am really astonished by your courage and readiness to help those poor people.

However, I do have some questions to you and would be profoundly happy to be replied to.

Is it possible to combine both family life and career with the social work that I want to do? Is it possible to raise your own children, have great goals for them, strive for the best for them and do the social work simultaneously? How does it feel when you strive for more but at the same time you stop doing it to help others? How would you feel not having done what you’ve done in your life? Did you feel complete after helping others, after seeing smiling faces? Have you ever at some point of your life regretted doing what you do or felt insecure and incomplete? Have you ever thought that you could have achieved more had you not helped those people in need and had you lived abroad safely?

P.S. I want to be like YOU, like Marguerite Barankitse.