#BBCAfricaEye follows Kenyans at the centre of a groundbreaking legal battle to track down their British soldier fathers using novel DNA methods. Click here to subscribe to our channel 👉🏽 http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica Nanyuki, Kenya, is home to one of Britain’s largest overseas military training areas, where thousands of British troops train each year. Over the years, nearly 100 children have been fathered by British soldiers here - with many of their dads disappearing without a trace. Now, in a landmark case, UK scientists and lawyers are aiding these young abandoned adults. By analysing their DNA and uploading it to commercial databases, they are identifying fathers — and in some cases, pursuing legal action through UK courts. This documentary follows three Kenyans who have never known their British fathers but hope they might finally track them down. Could their fight ignite the way for others like them, throughout the world? 00:00 Abandoned: Searching for Soldier Dad 02:55 Cathy's story 04:35 Maggie & Phil: a love story 07:27 Lawyers build the case 11:34 Yvonne's story 14:57 DNA Detectives 17:19 Peter's story 20:18 Cathy tries to reach out 22:40 Results are in 25:53 'Mrs A' reveals the truth 27:50 Connecting with Dad 34:55 Yvonne's dad is hard to track down 36:18 Peter's dad pulls back 37:49 Yvonne's dad: the results 41:39 'Your DNA will always be living' 🎥 Watch this film in SWAHILI here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbwSmZU9bpY, in FRENCH here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMZFdQueq_Q and in HAUSA here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwAd-QZpFyQ 🎧 Listen to the new investigative podcast, World of Secrets: Searching for Soldier Dad , here: https://www.bbc.com/audio/brand/w13xtvs0 🎞️ Check out all Africa Eye investigations here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLajyiGz4JeyO2qgCvioQO-BzP1XCajJqt 📽️ Watch more investigative journalism from our award-winning #BBCEye investigations team at this documentary playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLz_B0PFGIn4fa8LK1lptsvoA_spfJhzda You may also be interested in watching these BBC Africa Eye documentaries: https://youtu.be/GLFL8XlO9o8 https://youtu.be/tI3AKMFgVKQ https://youtu.be/oWE5ZKv08gA https://youtu.be/JHINoFq8GvE https://youtu.be/7ix5jbCmiDU https://youtu.be/qz0f1yyf_eA Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica Website: https://www.bbc.com/africa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbcnewsafrica/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bbcafrica/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbcafrica/ #Kenya #Documentary #Paternity #Parenting #Fatherhood #Father #InvestigativeJournalism #BBCAfrica
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Peter if you are reading this, you are an amazing father. Very proud of you! You're breaking the cycle.
The children are brought up well, educated and articulate; kudos to the mothers and their extended families for the parentage 🤩
God bless the Kenyan and British lawyers for finding the people’s fathers! 🙏🏾
Peter is a better man than his father and many other absent fathers could ever be. Him choosing to stay in his own sons life and be the father his child needs takes great strength. Great man.
The solicitor guy is such a good guy may god bless you brother !!! My prayers are with you!!
This was sad to watch..God bless the lawyers, out here impacting lives..
Thank you BBC I am a product of abandonment by a Portuguese Dad , I resonate with these Kenyan brothers sisters and mothers, being chased, beaten called names because of my skin colour, this is mind blowing how modern dna technology can bring out the truth and end the pain. I’m a product of a Portuguese dad was abandoned , tried the embassies in Zimbabwe, South Africa to no avail , I now am a Canadian citizen but it still eats me. I still have one pic of him and I always speak to it asking many questions. But nonetheless thanks BBC for an excellent piece of investigative journalism.😊
The little boy in Peter still yearns for his dad.
Men who abandon their kids are just evil, kids are a blessing. You even block your own child on Facebook? Just pure evil
I watched this a few hours ago, but what stayed with me was Yvonne’s dead beat dad. That girl lost her mom at 7 months old and your entitlement cannot give her any hope of having to experience how it feels like to have parental love?! 💔 so happy that Mrs A who is the cousin to the mom to that unworthy person wants to at least know this young lady. Yvonne if you ever see this please know you’re important. His massive loss for missing out on an evidently well raised, beautiful young lady.
Those people ain’t ur Dads they are just sick people who raped women in kenya. I don’t think is worth searching such ruthless people
I cannot sympathize even for a second with these spineless british men. Katie reminds me so much of my daughter and i felt her pain! They must be held accountable and the british government must be held responsible too
Dropping young men into a village in a developing country, where they feel a sense of impunity and superiority, can lead to harmful behavior, including exploitation or even sexual violence against locals.
Peter has such an adorable son and i believe he wants to be the best dad to him since his own dad disowned him. I pray they have peace including those not fathered by dead beat British soldiers. Some people may benefit from finding their dad, others might discover he wasn't worth the trouble.
This has PROVEN beyond REASONABLE DOUBT THAT EVERY CHILD NEEDS A FATHER ❤️
The mums raising those kids alone are truly heroes
If only we took Kenyan children neglected by Kenyan fathers this seriously 😢 this life has no balance
Hi, my Dad was stationed in Kenya in the 60's and it's always been a rumor, driven by him telling one of my siblings, that he got someone pregnant. I would be willing to help in any way I can get answers, but they must know he died in 2017.
Truly sad. Peter just wants to have a beer, grill some sausages and go fishing with his dad. Not too much to ask. My prayers for Peter are that your father will show up and make this happen. If not, I pray that someone will step in and play the role. Peter is making sure the generational patterns are not repeated by being there for his son.
As a dad myself, this was a hard watch and found it tough not to tear up. The cry of a son or a daughter yearning to meet their dad, who is trying to be elusive isn't easy to beat. A grown up British man running away and blocking a 10 year old girl makes me wonder who's the child in... Peter, Yvonne, and all the kids who've been abandoned... You're absolute heroes, one of a kind, and you'll always matter to God. Keep running your race of life and yes ... be there for every candle in your child's life.