Marilda: "Part of us never left Brussels."

“I worked as a cleaning lady in Belgium from 2009 onwards, and my son joined me ten years later. Although we were very well integrated, the pandemic forced us to leave. In 2021, we settled in Trindade to take care of my sick mother and sister. That care is exhausting. We make a living selling cakes, but there is hardly any time for that. I feel like I was born in the wrong country, I still love Brussels so much. Before God calls me to him, I want to go back there one more time.” 

Magnum photographer Carl De Keyzer travelled on assignment for Fedasil to Brazil, among other places, where he captured how returnees such as Marilda start over once they are back home. Texts by Catherine Vuylsteke.

Discover all the photos from the exhibition Re\𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 until November 23 at the Winter Circus in Ghent.