“Family is not defined by our genes, it is built and maintained through love.”
- Amalia G., Independent Adoption Center.
Children are gifts sent from heaven and the most precious jewels you could possibly have around your neck are the arms of your children. They might not have your eyes, they may not have your smile, but they will have all your heart.
Following the first panel discussion held in November, 2020, on child adoption, we received positive responses, feedbacks and many enquiries on this subject. Being part of the Rotaract community, it is always our duty to extend our arms to help serve the community and we realized that it wouldn’t do to stop here. The Add Hope In One committee from the Rotaract Club Of Wellawatte decided to implement a second step to the initiative.
In line with this thought, we organized a second panel discussion for our project on child adoption- Add Hope In One. This was a two-hour panel discussion held on February 21, 2021 from 5pm onwards via the Zoom platform and shared Live across the Facebook page of the Club. This was also shared and supported by our online media partner Pulse on their Facebook forum.
The panelists for the day’s discussion were not new faces to most of us, as we had already met them during our first panel discussion. However, our moderators had the honor of introducing Mrs. Milani Salpitikorala (Attorney -At- Law and Founder and Director of Child Protection Force) and Mr. Dhananjaya Perera (Director Programs – SOS Children’s Villages, Sri Lanka).
This was a rigorous discussion which covered many areas such as baby farms, child trafficking and child abandonment to understand the gravity of child adoption.
In December 2020, most of us may recall an individual in his late 40s being arrested because he was a “Baby farmer”. The discussion started by enlightening everyone present on what a “Baby farm” is and how it works. Baby farming is the practice of accepting custody of an infant or child in exchange for payment and it has been a practice dating back to the late nineteenth century and is sadly still practiced in the society. It takes place in many countries across the globe, inclusive of China, India, Nigeria and the UK. However, Mrs. Milani pointed that baby farming would not take place if a country has established standards to uphold the well-being of children.
The discussion flowed through areas such as child trafficking and child abandonment both of which are serious social concerns. Our newspapers and news feeds are overwhelmed with heart-breaking stories of children and infants abandoned or being trafficked for sexual exploitation and/or certain forms of forced labor. The staggering number of children affected in a year exceeds 100,000 and is an indicator that we should be doing something to bring an end to this. Mrs. Milani and Mr. Dhananjaya shared their thoughts on the consequences of child trafficking and abandonment which highlighted the physical, sexual and emotional abuse and neglect that the children may face in these instances.
The dialogue further analyzed what we should be doing as responsible citizens if we come across a child who is abandoned and how to overcome and what to expect of that situation. Our experienced lawyer, explained the best way to handle and inform the nearest police station. She also stressed on the importance of providing emotional and mental support to the child who is abandoned. This led to a brief on the different laws and regulations that are in place in Sri Lanka to protect children and ensure their safety.
Further, we went on to discuss the plight of children in the alternative care after they reach 18 years of age.
We had our Special Guest, Ms. Nimali Kumari (very popularly known as Nimmu) from the Generation Never GiveUp Network (GNGN), which is a space for youth who are leaving care homes in Sri Lanka to find the support they need to face the challenges of an independent life, through a nationwide peer network. She shared her experience after she left alternative care and how she went on to be who she is today. Everyone listened in awe at her story which was a definite inspiration and an example to everyone leaving the alternative care. Simply put – “The world is home to everyone”.
Amidst all her struggles, she now holds a Bachelors Degree in Journalism, Media and Mass Communication from the NIILM University, India and currently works as a Programme Officer at Sarvodaya Suwasetha Sewa which is one of the largest NGOs in Sri Lanka.
The next on the agenda was the Q&A session where all queries and concerns raised by individuals from the date of registration and the panel discussion were addressed by the panelists. The event ended leaving the team and everyone who attended it contented as they left the discussion.
Written by:
Rtr. Dhatchaiyani Dhayaparan
Joint Editor
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