For 20 years, Fardau Huisman has been searching for a missing piece of her identity—the truth about her birth family. Born in Sri Lanka in January 1985 and adopted by a Dutch family as a baby, she grew up in Holland with little knowledge of her origins. Her Sri Lankan name was Ganga, but the identity of her biological parents remains a mystery.

Fardau’s search has led her back to Sri Lanka five times since 2005. Her adoption papers listed a woman named Redige Baby Nona as her birth mother, but a DNA test in Colombo proved otherwise. That revelation uncovered a darker truth—Baby Nona had been an "acting mother," part of an illegal baby trafficking network run by a notorious figure in Sri Lanka’s adoption scandals. With this notorious figure deceased and no clear records of her true birth parents, Fardau has spent two decades following every lead, hoping for a breakthrough.

Now 40 years old, a teacher, and a mother of two daughters, Fardau feels an urgent need to find her biological family—not just for herself, but for her children. “I must be in a position to explain to my daughters about their family roots,” she says. Her journey is not about wealth or privilege, but a fundamental human desire for belonging.

Despite being told she should be grateful for the opportunities her European upbringing provided, Fardau insists that her search is about more than prosperity. It is about identity, closure, and reconnecting with the past. From February 12th to 22nd, she will once again return to Sri Lanka, hoping that someone, somewhere, holds the missing key to her past.

Q Can you share your earliest memories of learning that you were adopted and how that shaped your identity growing up in Holland?
From the moment I can remember anything, I have grown up with the fact that I was adopted from Sri Lanka. My Dutch parents have always been honest and open about this because they always shared pictures and stories about the adoption. This topic has always been alive in our family!

Q What was it like emotionally when you first came to Sri Lanka in 2005 in search of your birth family? What were your expectations?
A guide from Sri Lanka had found a lady called Refige Baby Nona who we believed to be my birth mother from my adoption papers. I flew with my Dutch parents and brother to Sri Lanka to meet the family there. When I saw her, I saw the poverty in which they lived. I met the entire family and it was very emotional to finally be able to meet my family. Still, there was some doubt and I did a DNA test at Gentech in Colombo. 6 weeks later I got the result that the test was negative. She was not a biological family of mine, the result was 100% no match. My world collapsed...and since then I have always wondered who my family is, and where they are.

Q How did you feel when you discovered that Redige Baby Nona was an acting mother for a baby trafficking network and that your adoption papers might not be accurate?
I felt bad that she had pretended to be my mother. At the same time, I also understood that she only did it to earn money so she could live. She was pressured and until her death, she did not want to tell me who my family was. It hurts me that I have not been able to find my biological family.

Q What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your 20-year search for your birth parents?
For many other adoptees, they were able to find their biological families by doing DNA tests. They were the fortunate ones to be reunited with their family. This begs the question as to when it will be my turn.

Q You mentioned that people often tell you to be grateful for your life in Europe—how do you respond to that, and what do you wish people understood about your search?
There is more to life; family! Who are they? Where do you come from and especially how nice are they actually! I would love to know who my real family is and how they are in life. I want to tell you about my two daughters and how fantastic they are.

Q What role does your Sri Lankan heritage play in your life today, and how do you pass that cultural connection on to your daughters?
My children share my sorrow in my search. I even think that if I were no longer here my daughters would continue to search for our roots.

Q As a teacher and school director, how has your experience of being adopted influenced your perspective on education, family, and belonging?
Everyone here is really sympathetic to me, they are waiting just like me for the moment that I get the results that I have found my family. It is heartwarming.

Q Have you found any clues or leads that give you hope in your search for your biological parents?
There are times when I think I have found information that will bring me one step closer. But my search seems impossible. No one seems to know where I come from.

Q What would it mean to you to finally find your birth family, and how do you imagine that moment unfolding?
A puzzle that is completed!

Q For others who may be in a similar situation—adopted and searching for their biological families—what advice or message would you share?
Keep going, you can always give up! This is also my motto.