Tomorrow a woman is standing trial here in Uganda for impersonating a birth Mother in court and for trafficking three children. She was not the birth Mother but she was the Aunt, and the sister of the two women pictured below who are the real Mothers of these three children.

We were asked to help the birth Mothers a couple of months ago to try to get their children back and we managed to trace the Adoptive family in America. Unfortunately, the adoptive family have decided to not co-operate. They have refused to have a discussion about this and have shut down all conversation by saying they have sought legal advice and believe the adoptions are secure. They are not going to tell the three children that they are not all siblings, but two siblings and a cousin, they are not going to tell them that their fathers are not dead, but definitely alive and devastated, they are not going to tell them how much their Mothers love them and how they have been looking for them for years. So many international adoptive parents hold onto secrets very tightly, but burying your head in the sand is not going to make them go away. We believe its better to face them, shine the light on them and let people help you to untangle the mess. These children have been in the US for a few years. Yes its a dilemma, yes its complex, yes its a messy situation, but not one that is insurmountable. With good social work and counseling, this can be worked through for the best interests of the child. Unfortunately all the power is held by the Adoptive parents, if they refuse to cooperate, then the children will be left to grow up with them. Its such an unfair balance of power, between a Mother from a developed, powerful nation and a Mother from a developing, powerless nation.

There are many of these parents, left shattered and heartbroken across Uganda, having been tricked into giving up their children often for educational purposes. If the truth is discovered, will Adoptive parents do the right thing? By the sounds of it unfortunately in this case the adoptive family are not going to tell the children the truth, at least for now anyway. So these children will continue to believe that their “Mother: gave them away in court and that their father is dead, two devastating lies that will have a huge impact on their self of worth and identity. Truly devastating stuff.