Rwandan father and daughter miles apart

President Kagame wants children overseas to return to thier families

By Chris Simpson in Rwanda

Eleven-year-old Gloria Mukagashora lives in Casteledono, a small Italian town of around 9,000 people, 10 km from Brescia in northern Italy.

She will be used to much better places than this now. I think she'd find it very difficult here.

Gloria's father

Gloria is one of 41 Rwandan children to have been adopted by Italian foster parents.

She arrived in Italy in 1994, during the Rwandan genocide, which claimed the lives of over 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

Gloria's father, Bonaventure Ntahontuye, lives close to the village of Rilima, 90 minutes drive from the capital Kigali.

Mr Ntahontuye has not seen his daughter in six years. He remembers receiving a letter from her just after she arrived in Italy.

There has been little contact since, but the Italian missionary organisation which helped organise her evacuation has kept in touch.

"I was grateful when I heard Gloria was safe," he remembers.

"I had put her in an orphanage because I couldn't cope after her mother died. My son, Focus, was also flown out. He is in Belgium".

Bonaventure has since remarried. He and his wife, Chantal, have two small daughters of their own, Polonia and Latifa. Gloria's elder sister, Sikora, 15, has stayed with the family.

Different times

"Things are very different from when Gloria was with us", says her father.

"Sometimes there isn't enough food to put on the table"

"The house she grew up in was destroyed during the genocide. She has never met my second wife. Of course, in some ways, I'd like her to come back, but she will be used to much better places than this now. I think she'd find it very difficult here".

Rilima is in Bugesera, one of the poorest parts of Rwanda.

Mr Ntahontuye has been rehoused in an umudugudu, one of dozens of specially-created villages built by the government in the years following the genocide.

He lives in House Number Four, identical to dozens of others in the village.

Chantal admits to being curious about the step-daughter she doesn't know.

"I would like to see Gloria here, so perhaps she could see how poor we are and find some help for us".

Difficult times

Bonaventure makes a living off the land, but is paid in crops rather than money.

He

I would just say to her foster parents: Please look after her. I'd like to hear from Gloria herself

Gloria's father

admits the past year has been difficult. "The drought here hit us very hard. Sometimes there isn't enough food to put on the table and the children end up hungry".

He is aware of the Rwandan Government's campaign to bring Gloria and other children back from Italy.

He backs President Paul Kagame's repatriation request, at least in principle, but admits he would struggle to provide for another child in the house.

"If Gloria came back, the government would have to look after until she finished her schooling. It's probably best that she stays in Italy".

"I'm grateful to the people who took her to safety. I would just say to her foster parents: Please look after her. I'd like to hear from Gloria herself".