(CNN)During the brutal Burundi civil war which claimed 300,000 lives, Marguerite Barankitse risked her own to rescue around 30,000 children from persecution.

At the outbreak of the 12-year war in 1993, Barankitse -- a Tutsi -- was forced to watch the execution of 72 of her Hutu neighbors.
That horrific incident inspired her to start a mission at the Catholic diocese where she worked. Caring for children and refugees, she created an environment where young Hutus and Tutsis alike could seek refuge.

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