the
HAPPILY BROKEN
blog
You Are A
MASTERPIECE
ENTERTAINING. INSPIRING. MOTIVATING.
From refugee camps to a published author, sought after inspirational speaker and Huffington Post Blogger, Clementine's electrifying speech will leave your audience will be motivated, ready to make an impact and equipped to reach their goals despite obstacles!
"Clementine is an authentic speaker who lights up a room with her magical ability to take horrendous life experiences and make them relatable to everyone in the room. You just did not want her to stop speaking! Full of love, light and courage! I would highly recommend her! Clementine Bihiga is the real deal!"- Maria Salomão-SchmidtAuthencity Coach
"Clementine has a delightful way of narrating her life’s journey both in/out of Rwanda and as a refugee in the United States. Her triumph over adversity and her optimism after life has dealt its worst is a true example of the power of faith and belief in herself. She speaks equally well to the high school student, to professionals, and in faith communities as her story is ageless. You will know you are in the right place if you hear her laughter beckoning you to join the circle of listeners”. Rebecca Wild-Wesley, RN, MA, CMC
"Clementine provided an inspiring, uplifting and entertaining presentation to our students and alumni. She is a positive force of nature and delightful." Susan Wojtas, Director of Institutional Advancement, Anna Maria College
"Clementine was the key note speaker at our recent President’s appreciation dinner, where the members of the RCAP team was recognized and congratulated for their important work in the community. We used her tagline “you are a masterpiece” as our theme for the event and it was very well received. Clementine’s unbelievable story and powerful and uplifting presentation about overcoming adversity and focusing on gratitude impacted every person in the room. The attendees continued to compliment Clementine and her inspiring and entertaining presentation long after the event took place." Maegen McCaffrey, Chief Communications Officer at RCAP Solutions, Inc.
Clementine is a truly remarkable woman. She came to speak to the women in my HOPE for Women Program at a luncheon. When Clementine speaks her voice is filled with joy, even as she tells the audience the horrific stories and experiences she has endured throughout her life. Her unique sense of telling her story and the way she always found the silver lining in everything is amazing. Clementine changes lives in such a positive way, she speaks and people listen. She allows her audience to be themselves. Even through tough times we can be happy. Her compassion and positive energy is truly a gift. I would most definitely recommend any company or organization looking for a motivational, inspiring, funny, and energetic speaker, to call on Clementine to speak. She is remarkable. She will ,exceed your expectations. Allyson C.Hope For Women.
I cannot begin to find the words that can explain the gratitude I feel toward Clementine for speaking at our school. The message was incredibly powerful and has stuck with our kids. She not only shared her story, but promoted the ideal of hope loving yourself and ,being happy. Our students were engaged throughout the entire presentation, you could hear a pin drop except when she made them laugh (her humor is contagious). She received a standing ovation from our students (who can sometimes be a skeptical crowd). Students lined up afterwards to meet her and purchase her book. We have purchased two copies for a school library, a class set, and many of our teachers are just reading it with their classes. She is eloquent, beautiful, and relevant. We were blessed to have her speak at our school and hope to bring her back again to our Diversity Week next year. I would highly recommend her to speak at any function- Sarah A. Teacher at Barlett Junior-High School
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for attending the HOPE For Women program. I was very impressed with your life story. You are truly an amazing woman to have dealt with your struggles and still be able to talk to a group about them. You have inspired me to be able to tackle my struggles with a different demeanor. Again, thank you so much and I wish you well. -Cindy B. HOPE for Women
I am so pleased to write this recommendation for Clementine. She continues to get rave reviews from our staff who attended our Presidents Employee "All Star" Dinner recently. Her compelling yet humorous approach to gratitude and love is one that many speakers cannot grasp. Many have said that they were pleasantly surprised by her earthy yet compelling story while conveying signs of hope and courage to those who service the needy every day. Clementine is a Masterpiece and a cherished jewel here in Massachusetts.- Karen Koller, President & CEO of RCAP Solutions
Clementine: The Face of Resilience
Clementine Bihiga, born in 1986, is an inspirational public speaker and published author of "Happily Broken: Discovering Happiness Through Pain and Suffering". At the age of eight, Clementine and her family were forced to flee their home in Rwanda due to the Genocide and Civil war of 1994 which killed almost a million people in 3 months. Clementine and her family lived as refugees in multiple refugee camps and settlements before they were admitted to the USA in 1999 as refugees. Clementine who faced many life and death situations at a young age including living in refugee camps and waking up among the dead, being bullied as a high school student and losing a daughter, has turned her tragic past into a positive calling of inspiring others to never give up.
When Clementine climbed on a "log" in lake Kivu trying to rescue a shirt taken by the waves and finally realizing it was a dead body, she could have given up. When she was beat almost to death by a motorist on her way home, she could have given up. When she woke up among dead bodies claimed by Malaria, Typhoid, Cholera, etc. she could have given up hope. When she got to the USA and was bullyied in high school for being different every single day, she would have quit and given up. Life was unforgiving for Clementine but she pressed on. She went on to speak 5 languages, got involved in many organizations such as the Student Leadership Council, World Youth Alliance, the United Nations Agents of Change, the Human Rights Commitee, The Student Achievement in Research and Scholarships and the Student Advisory Commitee for Foreign Discrimination. Clementine was also selected to be on a panel of the Africana Studies at the Stander Symposium and a panel on International Discrimination. She also interned at the New York State Attorney General's Office and worked as a Campaign Fellow for the United Way. All these was accomplished while she was in college.
After college, Clementine and her husband Chris, who she met in refugee settlements in Kenya were married and had their son in 2011. As a fulltime mother and a fulltime employee in Healthcare sales, Clementine decided to also get her Masters Degree. She accomplished this in one year and graduate with a 3.9 GPA with a Masters in Public Administration in HealthCare Administration and also earned a promotion at work for exceeding her sales goals by 160% the same year! Clementine is resilient, positive, charming and has an addicting personality.
embrace your past
START LIVING.
At the age of eight, bullets shot past her head as her mother and youngest siblings piled into a car. Not enough room left for the rest of the family, Clementine and her brothers walked beside the vehicle as bombs exploded beside them. Bodies fell to the ground. Dead. You were lucky if you survived without a wound of some kind. With no time to stop and mourn those you love, the exodus from war-torn Rwanda was a chaotic and terrifying experience especially for a child like Clementine Bihiga.
Clementine wrote Happily Broken; Discovering Happiness through Pain and Suffering, not to preach to people, but to come beside them as a friend who cares—as a friend who has traveled through the fire and come out on the other side. Free. Does she have scars? Of course, but she’s here to tell you that scars can be beautiful. Pain and suffering can be beautiful if embraced with a full heart and genuine faith.
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what readers are
SAYING
I loved how the author stayed true to herself throughout the book. The book is interesting from start to end. I also loved how the author was directly speaking to her readers while telling her story. She wanted to transfer a message and she gave it her own way. Reading her life made me appreciate what I have in mine. Seeing all the challenges she went through and how happy she was taught me something about gratefulness and positivity. I would recommend this book to people who feel like their lives are unfair and they want to give up. The author believed in a better life regardless of the bumpy journey.
Francoise C.
I know about a dozen refugee families from multiple countries of origin span a few decades of when they left their home country and every story is just as gripping as this one. Clementine is candid and shares her story in a natural way as if she was talking to you. I read the book in about an hour which never happens for me. If I had Donald Trump money I would buy copies to hand out to every American.
Amazon Buyer
Oh Clementine, you made me to cry at times and at other times I wanted to laugh so hard! Your spirit and passion truly shows in your writing and I was so honored to be able to read about your journey! Thank you so very much for everything you've done.
Jessie R.
This was a great book and the author had me laughing and crying throughout...she is so transparent and her story really puts things into perspective. As mentioned above it feels as though she is telling the story to you...this book brings encouragement and hope that no matter what you are going through you can be happily broken.
Kate.
CLEMENTINE SPEAKS
Your Mark In The World Starts NOW
Empowering Youth to Aim High and Live a Life of Impact
If you want your audience to leave entertained, empowered, motivated and inspired, this program is for you. This talk empowers audiences to not only be strong and inspiring leaders but to also be authentic. This talk has moved audiences to start making an impact in the world they live in right away with the help of Clementine. She works with audiences to live impactful and purposeful lives. Colleges and high schools have been inspired by this talk and started have started campus wide events to work with organizations overseas. Don't miss out on this fun and inspirational talk by Clementine. You will have rave reviews after you attend.
Below is an email from a student: "My name is Rebecca Foti and I am the student who at the author talk spoke to you about being involved in SGA. I was very inspired by your story and would love to bring it to the Student Government Association to start a campus wide event to either raise money or donate a significant amount of school supplies to your fund. we are a student run organization that is composed of student leaders trying to better the whole of Anna Maria College as well as any part of the world around us we can help at the same time. Listening to your author talk really sparked my interest and I can't wait to donate to such a beneficial fund- Anna Maria College Student.
Happily Broken – Success Through Resiliency
Business Luncheon / Dinner Keynote
Based on Clementine's book, "Happily Broken," audiences will hear a story of resiliency that culminates in a message of embracing one's true identity to achieve personal and professional success
At the age of eight, Clementine and her family were forced to flee their home in Rwanda due to the Genocide and Civil war of 1994. Clementine and her family lived as refugees in multiple refugee camps and settlements before they were admitted to the USA in 1999 as refugees.
Life was unforgiving for Clementine but she pressed on. She went on to speak 5 languages, got involved in many organizations such as the Student Leadership Council, World Youth Alliance, the United Nations Agents of Change, the Human Rights Committee, The Student Achievement in Research and Scholarships and the Student Advisory Committee for Foreign Discrimination. Clementine was also selected to be on a panel of the Africana Studies at the Stander Symposium and a panel on International Discrimination. She also interned at the New York State Attorney General's Office and worked as a Campaign Fellow for the United Way. All this was accomplished while she was in college.
After college, as a full-time mother and a full-time employee in Healthcare sales, Clementine also took on the challenge of obtaining her Masters Degree. She accomplished this in one year and graduated with a 3.9 GPA with a Masters in Public Administration in HealthCare Administration and earned a promotion at work for exceeding her sales goals by 160% the same year! Clementine is resilient, positive, charming, and has an addicting personality and grit. She will keep your audience laughing, engaged and inspired even as she describes horrific events in her life! She is a breathe of fresh air for any organization and company and makes for a great dinner keynote or business luncheon. She helps audiences put things in perspective and gives them renewed energy to never give up and work towards their goals!
A Refugee’s Survival Story-Overcoming Adversity With Grit and Enthusiasm
Business Luncheon-Dinner Keynote
At the age of eight, Clementine and her family were forced to flee their home in Rwanda due to the Genocide and Civil war of 1994. Clementine and her family lived as refugees in multiple refugee camps and settlements before they were admitted to the USA in 1999 as refugees.
Life was unforgiving for Clementine, as your audience will learn, but she pressed on. She went on to speak 5 languages, got involved in many organizations such as the United Nations Agents of Change, the Human Rights Committee, the Student Advisory Committee for Foreign Discrimination, and interned at the New York State Attorney General's Office, among others, all while in college.
After college, as a full-time mother and a full-time employee in Healthcare sales, Clementine also took on the challenge of obtaining her Masters Degree. She accomplished this in one year and graduated with a 3.9 GPA with a Masters in Public Administration in HealthCare Administration and earned a promotion at work for exceeding her sales goals by 160% the same year!
Clementine is resilient, positive, charming, and has an addicting personality and grit. She will keep your audience laughing, engaged and inspired even as she describes horrific events in her life! She is a breathe of fresh air for any organization and company. She helps audiences put things in perspective and gives them renewed energy to never give up and work towards their goals!
Persist, Persevere, Perform!
Work Towards Your Goals With Conviction
As human being, we tend to give up so easily. We give up on our dreams, jobs, relationships, health, etc. because someone says NO to us, or because we have failed once and take it as a sign that it's not meant to be.
As a young girl in a refugee camp, Clementine had no access to clean water, adequate food, education, etc. The odds of her getting out were very slim. The older she got, the harder things were but she was determined to not only survive what almost a million people didn't survive but also make an impact.
Clementine made the choice to be persistent, to persevere and to perform with conviction. Not only did she reach her educational goals of getting a masters degree within 1 year with a 3.9 GPA.
"I started facing rejection at a very young age as a refugee. When I was 8 years old and had to fend for myself when my parents disappeared for a period of 2 weeks. We lived in refugee camps where we faced death right in the eyes every day. When I used a “log” as an anchor to swim towards a shirt in Lake Kivu and finally realize it was actually a dead body of a fellow Rwandan, I felt like life was not worth living. When I got to the USA and was bullied every day in high school for being “different" I would want to quit going to school. In my adult life, I lost a daughter when I was 27 weeks pregnant. This was my breaking point but giving up was not a choice for me."
This talk will give the audience strategies to overcome obstacles and leave them feeling resilient, renewed and ready to fight to WIN in their businesses, relationships, health, etc.
Clementine, recently spoke at a luncheon of around 20 women in attendance. Right away, she was so inviting and charismatic as she told her unimaginable childhood story. No bitterness, just positive energy filled the room, making the event intimate and inspiring. Clementine is absolutely worthy of speaking engagements that uplift and celebrate gratitude, especially for the female population.
Kathy B.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for attending the HOPE For Women program. I was very impressed with your life story. You are truly an amazing women to have dealt with your struggles and still be able to talk to a group about them. You have inspired me to be able to tackle my struggles with a different demeanor. Again, thank you so much and I wish you well.
Cindy B.
Your visit to our HOPE alumni luncheon on Tuesday was the highlight of my entire week! The trials and tribulations of your childhood ordeal were like none other I've ever heard. It was a real eye opener into the turmoil of war. I'm most certain your written story is going to be widely read because you OWN such a happily broken experience to the extreme, by American standards. Rising above your hardships and finding gratefulness in your blessings is a wonderful message, and genuinely inspiring. Your positive attitude and willingness to share such a story was very much appreciated. Thank you so much
Kathy C.
I just wanted to thank you so much for your powerful story and message! It meant a lot to me! I am so glad you had come to Bartlett high school because you really got to me! I just finished reading your book and I cried throughout the book! It was so devastating hearing your story but seeing how you got right back up and smiling every day, amazes me seeing how you went through so much ! You are one strong woman & definitely someone to look up to! Thank you so much!
Hannah G.
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