‘I cried, I cried. I had no one’: the brutal child kidnappings that shamed Belgian Congo
Over 70 years ago, thousands of mixed-race boys and girls were torn from their mothers by order of the state. This week five survivors hope a court will censure Belgium for crimes against humanity
Monique was three years old when a white man from the government came to her village and changed everything. Everyone came out to see him, including Monique, who, as always, was with her “little auntie”, a girl of nine who was also her best friend. Monique cannot recall what the man looked like, but she remembers how sad everyone was after he had gone. Her mother had tears in her eyes that night. Monique would not see her for a long time.
The next day, Monique set off early with her uncle, aunt and grandmother on a three-day journey. Travelling on foot and by boat, with Monique in their arms, they went more than 100 miles from her birth village, Babadi, in the southern central Kasaï province in the Belgian Congo, to her new lodgings, the Catholic mission of the sisters of Saint-Vincent-de Paul in Katende. It was 1953 – the year Joseph Stalin died and Queen Elizabeth II was crowned – and Belgium still ruled the Congo, a vast African territory 75 times its size.
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Solo round-the-world sailor Cole Brauer: ‘The first two weeks I cried every single day’
In an exclusive interview the first American woman to race alone and nonstop around the globe discusses her mission to break down barriers. At only 30 years old she has already conquered the world. ...The Guardian - Nov. 8 -
‘It’s a very ugly American trait’: I cried foul when basic-economy passengers grabbed premium-economy seats. The airline has finally shown me respect.
“That woman and her mother were selfish and self-interested, and believed that they were entitled to get those seats.”MarketWatch - Nov. 11 -
A moment that changed me: at seven, I saw the truth of China’s one-child policy – and felt my parents’ pain
When a classmate said she’d be allowed a brother or sister, I realised what it meant: she might die young. It was a sudden insight into tragedy and trauma. One afternoon in the spring of 1997, as ...The Guardian - 4d -
I lost my six year old son when flash floods inundated Nova Scotia - This is climate breakdown
Before the floods, I was always with my boys. Always. This is Tera’s story. Location Martock, Canada. Disaster Nova Scotia floods, 2023. Tera works with people who have physical and mental ...The Guardian - Nov. 11 -
Can I avoid disruption to my child’s education?
My ex-husband claims he can’t afford the VAT added to our children’s school feesFinancial Times - Nov. 20 -
'My cancer was found as I was about to give birth'
After a Caesarean section, Laura Hudson had to endure chemotherapy and have a mastectomy.BBC News - Nov. 14 -
‘I had one thing young people didn’t’: how Subway Takes’ Kareem Rahma got famous in his 30s
He’s hosted Tim Walz and Charli xcx on his viral webseries, but not so long ago the downtown renaissance man was just a guy with a plan. In 2019, Kareem Rahma sat down and decided to become famous. ...The Guardian - Nov. 13 -
My Traumatized Dog and I Had Trust Issues
We needed a steady presence in our lives. Enter Kevin.The New York Times - 2d -
'I can't afford a child on £53,000 salary' - why fertility rate is falling
From 'fruitless' dating to financial pressures, people share their views on falling fertility rates.BBC News - Nov. 3
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