By Priti Bhombe | Project Director
Thanks to your support we have successfully rescued and provided over 700 children to date with excellent families and homes. As a result we were the number one adoption agency last year, having successfully placed the largest number of babies in adoptive families. This now includes 28 babies which have been adopted internationally and are now living in countries such as Italy, Spain, Malta, UK and America.
Despite our work to advocate and shift perceptions, it’s a sad fact that girl babies are still considered a burden by many Indian parents and we still see many more girls abandoned and left in our care. For example, about six months ago, a nursing home in a small town in our dristrict was approached by a couple. The wife was about six months pregnant and having illegally determined their baby was a girl, the couple wanted to abort the pregnancy. As it is illegal to abort a pregnancy beyond 12 weeks the doctor rightly refused to perform the procedure, instead counseling the couple. They left but returned within a month with the wife, having taken matters into her own hands to try and get rid of her baby, in labor. The medical team helped her to deliver the baby girl, but at only seven months of pregnancy she was in a critical condition with a very low birth weight. She needed specialist, premature care and emergency medical intervention and was admitted to hospital.
The family remained adamant that they did not welcome this new burden and immediately relinquished their baby, leaving her in the care of the hospital. The team there contacted our adoption center and she was placed in our care. Our team named her Pavitra (The Pure One).
With the proper medical care and lots of love from the team she soon gathered strength and was deemed fit and healthy, except for a condition called anotia, absence of one external ear. Fortunately this did not affect her hearing abilities and after consulting with a pediatric surgeon our team established that there were treatments available to replace her missing ear. Despite this we could not find any Indian parents willing to take on this responsibility and she was legally released for international adoption. It didn’t take long for her to be selected by an American couple willing to adopt and complete her medical treatment in the US.
So it was Pavitra was one of eight babies who took part in a mega adoption ceremony last month. The seven other children were also welcomed into the families from India and Malta all of whom emotionally thanked our team for giving their children such a wonderful and loving home while they were waiting for adoption. Among the guests attending the ceremony was the doctor who had delivered and brought Pavitra to our center. While the American couple was overwhelmed to hear their daughter’s story they were extremely thankful to the doctor and Snehankur team who had saved her life and brought them to her.
We believe that every child has a right to life with a loving home and family that will ensure their overall wellbeing and development and are grateful to you for providing the support that enables us to rescue girls such as Pavitra and unite them with the families that are ready and willing to give them the love and security they deserve.
Links:
By Joyce Connolly | Honorary Director
By Priti Bhombe | Director, Fund raising Department
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