Help at hand for Gujarat orphans

Help at hand for Gujarat orphans
SHEFALI NAUTIYAL

AHMEDABAD, MARCH 2: With over a thousand applications and inquiries pouring in from couples, unmarried people and voluntary organisations, hundreds of children who lost their parents in the recent quake will get another opportunity to live in a homely environment. Kutch alone has about 800 orphan children, say NGOs.

But the enthusiastic couples, say Government-run voluntary agencies that areco-ordinating the adoption procedure, will have to wait for at least three months until the court declares the modalities of adoption.

Moreover, the Social Defence Department adds that there is a deliberate attempt to find the orphans homes in the state itself. ``We have received over 700 applications and they are being sorted out. Out of these, almost 200 are from outside the state,'' says additional director of Social Defence Department R.B. Pandya.

The Voluntary Co-ordinating Agency, the only Centre approved agency in the state, has also received numerous applications from couples and organisations. ``In order of preference, we would give these children to Gujarati families, to families in other states, then to NRIs and lastly, to foreigners,'' informs Natubhai Patel, secretary of the agency. Patel also adds that at present, the orphans are with their relatives and it will take some time to get the exact number of orphans.

``We have a rough idea that about 800 children are orphans but there are so many with their relatives too. So there is the possibility that these orphans will be given to adoption homes later on,'' adds Patel.

Jitesh Ramesh Berawala and his wife from Bharuch have submitted a written application to the agency, expressing interest in adopting an orphan. Another couple, Rajesh and Pragya Shah living in the city, are equally interested. ``We were always keen on adopting a child and now that hundreds of children have been rendered homeless, we have decided to give a home to at least one of them,'' says Pragya.

Vatsalya Mandir, the VHP's adoption home at Anjar, has five such orphans now. Coordinator of Vatsalya G.M. Shah says that they have received over 50 applications, primarily from couples in Gujarat with no issues.

``We have also received applications from Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi and have forwarded them to the government,'' informs Shah.

Adoption, says Pragya, has become quite common and people are quite open to the idea. ``My in-laws have supported our decision which, I feel, wouldn't have been possible a few years ago. The stigma that was connected with adoption has finally been removed and I think it is a positive effort on an individual or couple's part. It feels good when we both think of giving an orphan a healthy and loving environment,'' says Pragya.