The death of Moïse Mugenyi Kabagambe, 24, intensified the desire of Congolese refugee Prudence Kalambay, 41, to leave Brazil. The activist for the rights of immigrants and refugees in the country is afraid that the fate of her children will be the same as Moïse.
Prudence, who lives in São Paulo, is the mother of five children, including two boys. Because they are black with Congolese descent, she is afraid of them growing up in Brazil. "Even though they were born in Brazil, I don't see my children growing up here. These things hurt.
This mother [of Moïse] never imagined that she would lose her son like this. The boy did not steal. Even if he stole, no one has the right to take another person's life, there is a law," she said. Prudence says she is also worried about her eldest daughter — she, like Moïse, is a foreigner, born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and in her 20s.
Prudence came to Brazil with her eldest daughter and refugee status about 14 years ago. She today she has four more children and a granddaughter. In recent years, she says, she has seen situations of xenophobia and racism increase. If she could, she would migrate to another country to avoid further embarrassment, she says.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon