John and Gladys Noronha
John and Gladys Noronha were both expelled from Uganda in 1972 during the Asian exodus from Uganda. They both belonged to the Goan community and were in their late teens when they were forced to flee their homelands. Both John and Gladys were well integrated with Uganda and were reluctant to leave.
Both John and Gladys were Ugandan citizens and rendered stateless by President Amin’s decree. They arrived only a few weeks apart from each other in Montreal. After being reunited at the YMCA in downtown Montreal their courtship began. They spent four years in Montreal before they were married and moved to Toronto. They’ve raised both their children in Canada and have continued to be involved in various religious and community based initiatives.
The oral history explores their family histories in Uganda, their lives during the expulsion period, and finally their lives in Canada as refugees. Both John and Gladys are happily retired and are very active within the Ugandan Asian refugee community.
This oral history was conducted in John and Gladys’ home in Toronto, Ontario.