“These practices have destroyed families and lives”

Mary Marre35, founder of the collective of French adoptees in Mali

Adopted in Mali at 19 months, I grew up in a loving family in Normandy. When my daughter was born, I went in search of my origins. However, my adoption file was full of erasures and inconsistencies. I discovered after four years of investigation that my biological mother had never wanted to abandon me. She had been made to believe that I was going to go to France for my schooling and come back to her at 18. I managed to find her and I am learning Bambara to reconnect with the one who has always waited for me. I filed a complaint, along with 8 other children adopted from Mali, against our organization authorized for adoption (OAA). The investigation is ongoing. This historical study provides proof of what has been denounced by many adoptees for years. I hope that France will move forward in its recognition of the victims of these practices which have destroyed families and lives.

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