Côme Nzibarega

When Côme Nzibarega became a translator for the United Nations peacekeeping force in his native Burundi, he also became a target for vicious rebel groups. One night, Côme, then 20, was kidnapped, beaten, tortured and interrogated about UN operations. Finally, after two weeks of brutal captivity, the rebels' compound was raided and Côme was finally freed—only to face six long years of hardship in refugee camps on his path to freedom.

Today, Côme inspires audiences with his first-hand account of life in the camps, revealing the human—and often heroic—stories behind the nameless faces we see in the news. In his riveting talk, Côme inspires his audience to find their life purpose and express their gifts and talents, as he notes the parallels between being trapped in a refugee camp and trapped by fear that prevents us from living life to the fullest. If your audience is facing challenges such as forgiveness, discouragement, procrastination, disappointment or betrayal, this talk provides help and hope. "Don't die unfinished, before you've expressed your gifts," says Côme, noting that we in the U.S. are blessed with everyday freedom.

Côme's presentation will bring your group up to speed on the hotly-debated "refugee problem" that's constantly in the news, while motivating the audience to fulfill and maximize their potential. It's also an amazing testament to the power of forgiveness that will appeal to religious and spiritual groups. "Forgiving the people who kidnapped and tortured me helped me to heal and move on with my purpose in life," says Côme. "Holding grudges against people who did bad things to us drains energy that we could be using to pursue our true life purpose."

You'll get an inside glimpse of the day-to-day life in the refugee camps, and gain an appreciation of the indomitable spirit of these displaced people seeking freedom. "The richest places in the world are refugee camps because they're full of people with potential they cannot express," says Côme. "Many problems the world faces today could be solved by people stuck in those camps."

Your audience will leave Côme Nzibarega's life-changing presentation with a renewed passion for living, determined to maximize their true potential instead of procrastinating or being distracted by things that don't support their life purpose. "My goal is to motivate you to step beyond your limitations and soar into greatness," says Côme. Everyone leaves Côme's passionate talk with a deep appreciation for the courage of the refugees behind the headlines, inspired to break free of self-made limitations and express their unique gifts in the land of the free.