Habonimana Matirde, January 01, 1950 — February 26, 2019

Habonimana’s Obituary Habonimana Matirde, the beloved matriarch of the Burundi refugee community in Springfield, passed away Feb 28 at her home; She was 69 years old. Matirde survived two of the greatest tragedies in 20th Century Africa. Born a simple farmer on January 1, 1950 in Mpanda, Bubanza Province, Burundi, she was among hundreds of thousands of ethnic Hutus who fled the 1972 Tutsi-led genocide that killed an estimated 300,000 Hutus.

She settled in Rwanda, where another genocide in 1994, this time led by Hutu militants, massacred an estimated 900,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus. Fleeing retaliation by a restored Tutsi-led government, Matirde was among a half million Burundian Hutus and others who sought refuge in the Lukole refugee camp near Kagera Tanzania. Eventually approved for resettlement to the United States, Matirde arrived in Springfield in 2007, where she was joined by four of her sons and their children.

Despite her lack of formal education, she quickly became a respected figure among the growing east African community in Springfield and beyond. She became a U.S. citizen in 2014. Matirde is survived by six sons: Simbomana Simeo, his wife Nsabimana Jouliette and their children Manirakiza Iris, Habimana Jean-Marie, Uwimana Diane, Niyomurungere Kervin, Niyokwizera Frank and Sibomana Steven of Lilonge Malawi; Manikariza Joseph, his wife and children of Nairobi, Kenya; Emmanuel Simbagoye, his wife Julienne Muhawenimana and their children Nadine Ishimwe, Simba Pelletier, Vanessa Mutoni, Henry Muhire and Sanda Isimbi os Springfield; Nzabandora Appolinaire of Chicopee; Maniriho Leonard, his wife Ndekatubane Dorsella and their children Niyonkuru Tresoro, Irandukunda Kevin and Anita K. Niragira of Springfield; and Nikodem Sinzohagera, his wife Joseline Nijimbere and their children Diane Ishimwe, Luxury Sinzoyiheba, Angela Nikodem Crescentine and Elijah Nikodem of Springfield; and a daughter: Manirashoboye Suzana, her husband Nhurunziza Pierre and their children Noyonkuru Adonette, Nkurunziza Gradice, Mugisha Gretta, Munezero Belle, Nkununziza Trevon and Nkurunziza Tyson of Perth, Western Australia.

Her former husband, Sinzohagera Pio lives in Burlington, Vermont.

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