Honour for woman who dedicated her life to genocide survivors

A year after the genocide in Rwanda, Mary Kayitesi Blewitt returned to her village to dig through a mass grave in search of her family. The rains had washed away the topsoil, revealing the bodies of about 200 people.

A year after the genocide in Rwanda, Mary Kayitesi Blewitt returned to her village to dig through a mass grave in search of her family. The rains had washed away the topsoil, revealing the bodies of about 200 people.

Yesterday, at the Women of the Year awards ceremony at the Savoy Hotel in London, Ms Blewitt was unable to find the words to express what it was like to rebury those she loved. She lost 50 members of her family in the genocide, including her brother John Baptiste, 27, whose leg was hacked off by his killers. He was left to bleed to death in front of his wife and children.

Since then she has heard countless horrific stories from survivors who have come to her for help and she decided to set up an organisation known as the Surf Survivors Fund. "The widows who I met in Rwanda who had been raped just wanted to die," she said. Instead, she convinced them to set up their own charity to help the orphans.

Fergal Keane, a BBC correspondent, said: "Mary Blewitt is quite a remarkable human being, one of the most remarkable I have ever met. Her work has involved extraordinary personal sacrifice. Those of us who witnessed genocide in Rwanda know that Mary Blewitt stands among the bravest of the brave, the kindest of the kind."

Accepting the Pilkington Window to the World Award, Ms Blewitt said: "It makes me both sad and happy. It makes you happy to have someone acknowledge what you have done. But I also think, had there been no genocide I would not be here."

Created in 1955, the Women of the Year Lunch and Assembly is intended to bring together distinguished women and reward them for their work. The main achievement award went Kelly Holmes for her double Olympic gold. "Her story is one of triumph over adversity, and she will not only be heralded for her athletic achievements but also for her gutsy, committed approach," the committee said.

Jane Tomlinson, 40, who has raised nearly £1m for Cancer Charities since being told she had incurable breast cancer four years ago, won the Frink Award, for women who have enriched others' lives while overcoming difficulties of their own.

Josette Bushell-Mingo, the actor and director who founded the Push performing arts company, was given the inaugural Craymer Award for Enterprise.

The lunch's title was Fighting Back: Women's Voices in the Aftermath of the War in Iraq. The guest of honour, Iraq's leading female broadcaster, Amal al-Mudarris, 55, said: "My homeland has become a river of blood, bleeding every day." But while the future remained unclear, she said she was optimistic. "It is possible for the men of Iraq to protect Iraq themselves. When Iraq becomes free and democratic they will be able to do that."

THE AWARD WINNERS

Mary Kayitesi Blewitt: Founded The Survivor's Fund (SURF) to aid, assist and support survivors of the Rwandan genocide. She won the Pilkington Window to the World Award for work that has opened people's eyes to something that would not have otherwise been seen and understood

Jane Tomlinson: Since being diagnosed with terminal breast cancer in 2000, she has raised almost £1m for cancern charities. She won the Frink Award for enriching other people's lives while overcoming difficulties of her own.

Kelly Holmes: Overcoming numerous injury setbacks, she won gold in both the 800m and 1500m at the Olympics in Athens. She won the Good Housekeeping Outstanding Achievement award.

Josette Buchell-Mingo: Launched the organisation PUSH - Pushing Black-led Art Into The Spotlight - with an annual season of dramatic work written and performed exclusively by black British artists. The Craymer Award for Enterprise, given to a woman who combines an enduring passion for the performing arts with a determination to make things happen.