About the project

Between 1958 and 1961, as Ruanda-Urundi neared independence, about 300 Métis (mixed-‘race’) children were taken to Belgium and placed in orphanages or foster homes. The Belgian government framed this as an emergency evacuation for their safety during unrest. In reality, it was part of a long-standing colonial policy that separated mixed-race children from their African mothers, often placing them in missionary schools. Mothers were told the separation was temporary, but most never saw their children again, while the children were made to believe they had been abandoned.

Although recent research has highlighted the experiences of the Métis children, the mothers’ stories remain largely overlooked. This project, led by researchers from the University of St Andrews and the University of Rwanda, aims to centre the mothers’ experiences and uncover the injustices they faced. Using archival research, cultural sources, and eyewitness accounts, the team investigates how mothers tried to keep or reunite with their children, while also building an international network to support collaborative research on this history.

We thank François d’Adesky for his kind permission to use the photograph of him and his brother as children featured above.