She Who Said No

She saved over one hundred lives by convincing the militia she was a witch. But she could not save her own children.April 1994. When the president's plane is shot down, Rwanda descends into a madness that has been brewing for decades . The radio commands, "Cut down the tall trees", and the genocide begins.As her neighbors turn on each other, Zura Karuhimbi, an elderly traditional healer (umufumu), makes a choice. She opens her door. Soon, her tiny two-room house is overflowing with more than one hundred refugees -Tutsis and Hutu moderates marked for death.When the Interahamwe militia arrive with machetes, Zura confronts them. Drawing on the old beliefs, she paints her face with ash and herbs, rattles her bracelets, and warns the killers that her house is protected by spirits. In a nation consumed by hate, her terrifying performance of witchcraft becomes the only medicine that works.But this incredible act of courage comes at an unbearable personal cost. While Zura serves as a shield for over a hundred strangers, she is helpless to stop the murder of her own son, Hanganimana, and her daughter, Ugiriwabo.Based on the powerful true testimony of Zura Karuhimbi, this meticulously researched narrative nonfiction account explores the agonizing choices of a mother caught between her conscience and her family. It is an unforgettable story of sacrifice, moral courage, and the woman who found a way to "say no when the world said yes to murder."Discover the story of the woman who "chose to weave a lie strong enough to hold a life".