'They should be honoured as heroes': Toronto woman killed in Burkina Faso attack remembered by friends

Tammy Chen first breezed into TaniaMuller's restaurantin the bustling capital of Burkina Faso two years ago, just wanting a meal.

Instead, she made a friend. Chen's visits became a dailyoccurrence in Muller's restaurantshe was all smiles, "always in a good mood," Muller recalled.

The restaurateur, now in France, learned about the death ofChen and her husband inthe news. The twowere killed on Sunday night, in a shooting at a Turkish cafe that left 18 dead. The scene wasn't far from Muller's restaurant, where the twowould often chat about Chen'supcoming wedding or Muller's young son.

• Former Toronto teacher and Montreal-based volunteer killed in Burkina Faso attack

Muller says the fear of terrorist attacks, while not unknown in Ouagadougou,didn't faze her during the two years she and Chen spenttime together. "I think you have more chance of dying in a car accident," she said in a phone interview from France.

But attacks did happen in the city from time to time, including one last year at Cappuccino Restaurant, which killed 30 people.Those reminders always forced Mullerto consider which restaurant might be next.

Muller says the obvious targets sellalcohol,servepork, or attract large groups of tourists. But at this time of year, the sleepy rainy season, she saysChen likely wasn't concerned about violent extremism.

"I think she thought she was safe," Muller said, her voice quavering.

Chen first fell in love withBurkina Faso as a master's student at Queen's University, when she travelledthere witha student group for international development work, says Rebecca Luce-Kapler.

'She learned to love the country'

Luce-Kapler, the dean of education at Queen's, had been her thesis adviser. Shewatchedthe young woman grow from an enthusiastic adventurerkeen on changing the world, to a wise educatorkeen on teaching others how to change it for themselves.

"It was transformative for her," she said."She learned to love the country."

In her first three months, Luce-Kapler recalls, Chen began volunteering at aschool that sheltered and taught homeless young people. She eventually foundeda radio station.

Chen returned to Burkina Faso after that initial excursionto complete her thesis in education. She had given her students disposable cameras, employinga technique called "photo elicitation" where she askedthose students to explain their lives through imagery.Luce-Kapleradded that Chen empoweredthe intrepid photographers to control their own narratives.

Founded charity for women

Chen admittedherself "how naive she was, you know, 'I'm going to change the world,'"Luce-Kaplersaid. "But she developed a real nuance on the challenges of development work ... she became very committed tohow important it was to work alongside people."

Her time in the country led Chento found Brighter Futures for Burkina Faso, a charity thatlendsmoney to women who want to invest in their families bystarting small businesses and puttheir children through school.

Although Muller had only known her friend for two years, she says Chen made an impact, the way the educator and steadfastfriend did with everyone else whose path she crossed.

"I was so touched by her," she said, also noting her fondness for Chen's husband, Mehsen Fenaiche."They should be honoured as heroes."