By: Natasha Archary
If money was no object, would you consider adoption to expand your family or help a child in need?
The question had many Kaya Drive listeners sharing their own experiences with adoption and why there would be no hesitation on their part to change the life of a child in need.
Child-headed households in SA have become a common reality for millions of children who have lost parents or caregivers.
Over 55 000 children are reportedly living in households which are being run by minors, or are living on the street, without being provided for.
One Kaya Drive listener shared that she would adopt a child, so that her life story can come full circle.
“Being adopted when I was just 11-days old, I appreciate the sacrifice my biological mother made to give me up for adoption. I am so grateful to my adoptive family for never making me feel like I wasn’t their own. In fact, I only found out when I was 35-years old that I was adopted.”
Betty shared how adoption changed her life
If she had the means, Betty would, in a heartbeat, take a child into her home and heart because she is living proof of how adoption can change the life of a child.
Other listeners detailed how their parents had taken in children from their neighbourhood or surrounding schools, who were neglected or abandoned.
The adage, “it takes a village to raise a child“, still forms the foundation in many townships to this day.
Orphaned children are being cared for by community members who raise children without expecting anything in return.
“My mother was that woman who did this all her life. There were 10 of us at home but that didn’t stop her from taking in children off the street and giving them a home. Up until the day she passed this year June, there are two teenagers that she had in her care, who have now become our responsibility.”
Listen to the conversation on Kaya Drive:
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If you had the means, would you consider adoption? Natasha
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If you had the means, would you consider adoption? Natasha
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If you had the means, would you consider adoption? Natasha
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If you had the means, would you consider adoption? Natasha
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If you had the means, would you consider adoption? Natasha
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If you had the means, would you consider adoption? Natasha
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If you had the means, would you consider adoption? Natasha
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If you had the means, would you consider adoption? Natasha
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If you had the means, would you consider adoption? Natasha
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If you had the means, would you consider adoption? Natasha
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If you had the means, would you consider adoption? Natasha
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If you had the means, would you consider adoption? Natasha
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If you had the means, would you consider adoption? Natasha
Child protection statistics put the number of orphans in South Africa at approximately 5.2 million. With a steady decline in adoption rates in the country and a rise in the number of orphans over the years, the stark reality is that adoption is not being considered more.
The process to legally adopt a child in South Africa is lengthy and this is often what stops many people from adopting.
Find out more information about adopting a child in SA here: Know your rights: Adoption in SA
