HT : A Better Future - `Adopt a child, improve a life' : Nov 14, 2005 | Adoption : News Articles

Diabetes, adoption awareness campaigns kick off; ngo chief calls for change on children's day

"LIFE IS complete now that Prisha has come into our lives," says Rajesh Dharamashi as he holds his 15-month-old daughter.

On the occasion of National Adoption Awareness week (November 13-20), he emphasised that more young couples should come forward to adopt orphan children.

"Those not having a biological child can adopt and improve the lives of those kids who would otherwise not have normal lives, " adds 35-year-old Dharamashi, who adopted after nine years of marriage on the advice of his mother.

After celebrating Prisha's first birthday in Asha Sadan (which houses 150 orphan kids at present), the couple continues to do the same over the years. "We don't want to hide from her that she has been adopted from this place. When the time comes, we are sure we will cope with that situation," says the couple.

In the rarest of cases, couples already blessed with a child adopt a second one. Sachin Dewasthalee, father of a threeyear-old son, adopted Ananya. "I was waiting to be economically stable so that I could promise a good education for both my kids," says Dewasthalee.

Though Dewasthalee was apprehensive about the way Ananya would be received by his family, it took just two hours to convince his parents about his decision. His wife Alpana says that the first few days after adoption were tough.

"Whenever she cried, I was at my wits end how to comfort her because we had no idea why she was behaving in a particular manner," she says. But now her concern is to get her daughter admitted to the same school as her son.

For both set of parents convincing their family members and friends was never an issue. "People are more open to the idea of adoption rather than go in for complicated medical treatment," says Dharamashi.

He feels that the legalities involved in the adoption process should be a bit relaxed so that it does not deter couples from adopting.