Orphans caught in the middle 
By Noelle Knox, USA TODAY
BUCHAREST, Romania — Vasile doesn't know it, but he and the other 84,381 orphaned children in Romania are at the heart of a high-powered dispute that will decide where they can grow up. (Related photo gallery: The Romanian adoption ban)

Linda Robak takes her adopted daughter Laura, 5, to meet her biological family in Romania.
By Dinu Lazar, Getty Images for USA TODAY

David Clark blinks back tears as he talks about how his family in Leawood, Kan., wants to adopt 6-year-old Vasile but is afraid the documents won't be signed before a Romanian law, expected to be passed by the end of the month barring any last-minute compromise, ends international adoptions in this country forever.
Romanians know that's a drastic measure, but they argue it is the only way to stop the widespread corruption that has blurred the lines between adoption and child trafficking in too many cases.
International pressure has been building since the country put a temporary moratorium on inter-country adoptions in 2001. About 1,000 children have been allowed to leave through exemptions for children who are handicapped or older than 3, because their chances of finding families in Romania are so small. Those exemptions would essentially end under the proposed law.
Vasile has spent almost all of his life in orphanages.

"I think we could give him a good home," Clark says. He and his wife have a daughter adopted from Romania and another from China, plus a biological daughter and son.
Americans have adopted almost 8,300 children from Romania since the overthrow of Nicolae Ceausescu in 1989. Pictures of thousands of underfed and abused children in the country's prison-style orphanages sparked worldwide outrage and a huge demand for international adoption.And while the work of many adoption agencies is noble, stories of corruption dog the industry.
 

Pressure to allow adoptions 

Ok..i am not really good at linking stuff, so I have just lifted the whole story from guardian…nice!

LENE Kamm came to Lagos from Denmark last week to attend a conference. But she used the opportunity to search for her father, Emmanuel Owhin whom her Danish mother, Else Gyring Nielsen said is a Nigerian. Born in Denmark in 1957, Lene’s story was published last Saturday in The Guardian. But as it turned out, her father died in 1982.
However, she didn’t come in vain for she was able to unite with her half brothers and sister as well as other members of the family who read her story in The Guardian. The reunion was made possible through the effort of her half sister, Sarah Owhin who returned from London a day after the publication oblivious of it all.
Sarah, 35, recalled that her phone kept ringing around 8 pm last Saturday but she initially ignored it because she didn’t want to be disturbed at that hour of the day. Besides she had just returned from London.
Unknown to her, it was one of her friends, Austin Eni Okojie calling all the way from Abuja. Her mother, Josephine Owhin, urged her on to pick her phone and answer her caller. She eventually did so in disguise. The dialogue, according to Sarah, went thus:
“Can I speak to Sarah?”, asked Okojie.
“No, Sarah is not around; she’s in London. It is Esther her daughter,” she replied.
“Please call Sarah in London and tell her that one of her sisters from Denmark is looking for her father Emmanuel Owhin and wants to meet with his children or relatives.”
“How did you get to know about it,?”
“The story is in The Guardian of today”
She thanked him and pondered in her mind who this person could be. For Sarah, a graduate of Ondo State University who is now based in London, the next step was how to locate Lene in Lagos. She contacted The Guardian to make enquiries.
She was eventually taken to meet Lene with her mother Josephine at the head office of Support A Child, organisers of the workshop that brought Lene to Nigeria, at Victoria Island. There, she was interrogated by Mrs. Abisola Williams, mother of Olatoun Williams, organizer of the workshop.
Sarah’s mother explained that Emmanuel Owhin was her husband and that they met while she was working with the Pilgrimage Board in Lagos and he Owhin was managing director of his company, Fountain Services, an advertising and publishing company based in Ebute-Metta, Lagos in 1968. She explained that her husband was a freelance advertiser with Daily Times at that time. She later tied the nuptial knots with him and the union is blessed with three children: Sarah, Emmanuel (Jnr) and Samson.
Mrs. Williams called people such as Prince Tony Momoh, former minister of information and one time editor of Daily Times to confirm the authenticity of the story. She also called Jane Ejueyitchie-Oroye, a former principal of Oueen’s College Lagos and an Itsekiri woman to ascertain whether she knew anyone called Emmanuel Owhin. She discovered that Emmanuel Owhin’s grandmother was an Itsekiri woman and she lived and died in Lagos.
Linkage confirmed, Olatoun Williams came to take Sarah and her mother to meet Lene who was staying at an hotel in Ikoyi. On sighting her sister, Lene broke into tears. She was consoled by Sarah who said: “God just decided to unite you with your family, since you have been nice to many people helping them to reunite with their families. You don’t need to cry.”
From there, Lene was taken to the family house in Mushin. There, she took so many pictures and met some other of her relatives. Later in the day, her brother, Mark Owhin who had just come from the United Kingdom was hinted about the story and initially he could not believe it. Mark, who was born in 1962, is an engineer based in the UK. He also came to the hotel to be united with Lene. But he forgot his glasses in his car parked outside the hotel. So his sister, Lene, who also equally uses glasses, gave him her glasses for him to read her story in The Guardian.
“I am happy to meet my sister. We are going to keep in touch. We are going to be exchanging letters and we look forward to more good things to come,” he enthused.
Lene is happy that her colleagues from Denmark have already found some resemblance in her and her Sarah. Lene reached her children in Demark and they had a live communication with her brother. Her son, Jens, a lawyer, was very happy that at last, his mother has discovered her roots.

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Thousands of Georgians are coming to terms with a black-market adoption scandal in which children were stolen from maternity hospitals from the 1970s to the mid-2000s.

Irina always thought that the suitcase buried underneath a tree in her backyard contained the remains of her twin sons who had died shortly after birth, in 1978.
"When I gave birth, the doctor said to me: 'Do you have the means to raise these children?" she recalled decades later.
Three days after they were born, Irina was told the babies didn't survive. As instructed by the doctors, her husband brought a cloth and a suitcase to bury them in.
Since they couldn't find a cemetery plot, they buried the suitcase in their garden, unopened.
For more than 40 years, the suitcase and its contents laid untouched, until Irina's daughter Nino came across a Facebook group filled with stories of children searching for parents and parents searching for children.
Black-market adoptions and child trafficking had thrived in Georgia for decades from the Soviet era in the 1970s until the mid-2000s, when tougher laws were introduced.
Experts who have spoken to those affected by the scandal said a culture of shame surrounding adoption was one of the reasons the practice lasted so long underground.
Others believed high-level government officials were complicit and some of those involved might still be working in Georgian hospitals today.
"I read a few [Facebook] posts and then I couldn't read any more," Nino said.
Parents said in the posts they had been told their children had died but never saw the bodies — something that sounded familiar to Nino.
She asked her sister Nana: "Did our brothers really die?"
The family grew suspicious of the twins' fate and decided to dig up the suitcase in the backyard.
For more than 40 years, a suitcase was buried in Irina's garden believed to contain her twin sons' remains. Source: BBC

Inside, they found a couple of twigs, which the police later said were from a grape vine.
"We were completely shocked," Nino said. "There’s nothing inside. They’re probably alive."
 

Searching for answers

In 2016, Georgian journalist Tamuna Museridze was cleaning out her mother's house after she unexpectedly died. She found a birth certificate with her name but with a different birthdate.
In Georgia, every woman receives an official document after giving birth. But when Museridze went to the archives, she found no such document existed for her mother.
She concluded that her mother didn't give birth to her, so she must have been adopted. When her family refused to talk about it, Museridze set out to find answers.
She and her friend set up a Facebook group called "I'm searching". It quickly exploded. In post after post, people shared how they too, were looking for their biological parents and siblings.
Museridze's research found that the trafficking of babies was happening in at least 20 hospitals across Georgia. Many were in rural areas, like Kvareli, a small town in east Georgia, where Irina and her family lived.
Georgian journalist Tamuna Museridze accidentally found out she wasn't her mother's biological child. When she set out to find answers, she uncovered an old illegal adoption scheme that had thrived across Georgia. Source: BBC

Aid Pamela Keesee's Medical Journey

My mom, Pamela Keesee, age 69, had a major stroke on January 14, 2025. She was rushed to the ER in Brenham, TX, and later moved to Memorial Hermann Hospital for treatment and physical therapy. She was then moved to Katy Encompass Rehab facility where they would evaluate and help her recover. Finally, she was moved to Katy Silvercrest Memory and Assisted Living until she heals.

This would be her 6th stroke with 2 major and 4 minor. This would be the first time she has experienced cognition problems leading to longer stays. However, all the medical bills came at once and are too much for me and my mom to pay, and would love help in our times of need.

LAVA and AVGG have applied for and received a subsidy from Inea for organizing the adoption breakfast . In accordance with the subsidy conditions, we have
listed Inea's contribution on the website.

We were surprised to learn that Inea
distanced itself so openly from the meeting on Linkedin on 12 March 2025. In the relevant Linkedin post, Inea states that the
final implementation of the meeting does not fit within Inea's mission and vision.

First of all, we are curious about what Inea based this judgment on. LAVA and AVGG
organized this meeting to update members of parliament and their employees on the
(im)possibilities of the phase-out plan, both legally and socially, emotionally and socially.
In our opinion, the meeting worked out exactly as indicated in the request for proposals.
In addition, permit holders, parents and adoptees were involved in the organization and the
organization was organized by two associations together. It is precisely on this subject that it is good to
seek connection and in our opinion this fits within Inea's mission and strategy.

In addition, Inea's attitude surprises us even more, because the approval for the subsidy
was only given on March 6 (one day after the meeting). Due to malfunctions in the system, Inea was behind in
processing applications. In our opinion, Inea was therefore able to
inquire in advance about the elaboration of the meeting at all times.

We deeply regret that Inea, after the commotion caused by a small but very verbal group of
radically critical people, feels compelled to self-censor its own decisions
. In our opinion, this shows that Inea is mainly there for those who
are critical of adoption. Inea should be objective and independent and for all adoptees. However, because
this post also suggests that LAVA and AVGG have done something that would not be in line with
the application, we feel compelled to publicly distance ourselves from these claims. In addition,
we will file a formal complaint about this course of events.

About this group

De virtuele ontmoetingsplaats voor geadopteerde en opgezet door geadopteerden.

Deel je verhaal, je vreugde, je verdriet en alles wat met jouw adoptie te maken heeft. Zoek de empowerment in jezelf en bij anderen.

Dit is een online initiatief van stichting YAYA,

voor meer informatie neem contact op met:

olkata: A 52-year-old India-born US citizen is now in Kolkata, scouring B T Road and neighbourhoods along the Kolkata-Barrackpore route, trying to retrace her roots from the labyrinth of govt and adoption-home records and the cobwebs of a six-year-old girl's memory.

Tempori Thomas was five when she got lost from her old home and six when she found a new home around 13,000km away in Minnesota, US. "I got lost on a short-distance local train ride on December 14, 1977 while out picking firewood and charcoal for preparing dinner for my family," Thomas said.

She can recall Khardah police station, where she reached — with a stranger's help — after two days of straying. She stayed there for a day and was shifted to a home for widows, until she ended up at Presidency jail in Dec.

She stayed there until Sept 1978, before she was flown out to Minnesota with help of an orphanage and adoption NGO, International Mission of Hope in Kolkata.

Thomas, who reached Kolkata on Saturday with her friends Rebecca Peacock (49) and 47-year-old Manu Erickson (who have similar lost-and-adopted stories), spent Sunday touring the suburbs around Khardah PS from 10am to 3pm.

Dear journalists,

I’m Nameless Adoptee, a Korean adoptee advocating for the rights of adoptees worldwide. Today, I’m reaching out with an urgent plea: Matthieu Sung-tan, a 38-year-old Korean adoptee in France, is dying from a rare genetic disease, and South Korea’s National Center for the Rights of the Child (NCRC) is blocking access to the records that could save him. His story, detailed in two Yonhap News articles published today, March 17, 2025, exposes a systemic crisis affecting thousands of adoptees. Your coverage can make a difference — Matthieu’s life depends on it.

Matthieu’s Heartbreaking Struggle

Matthieu Sung-tan Foucault (Korean name: Jang Sung-tan) was born on December 23, 1986, in Iksan, South Korea, and adopted to France at four months old in April 1987 through Holt Children’s Welfare Society. Raised in a loving middle-class French family, he became a skilled stonemason and carpenter, contributing to the restoration of Notre-Dame Cathedral. He loved playing the guitar and dreamed of a simple life with his wife, Lauriane Simon, and their children, Eloise (3) and Esteban (1).

But since spring 2024, Matthieu’s life has unraveled. He’s suspected of suffering from Fatal Familial Insomnia (FFI), a rare genetic disease that prevents sleep, leading to hallucinations, memory loss, and a disconnection from reality. Yonhap News reports that he’s so exhausted he must close his eyes constantly, yet he cannot sleep — his condition is deteriorating rapidly. Without treatment, FFI patients typically survive only 18 months, with a range of 7 months to 6 years. Matthieu’s survival window is closing.

The Federal Council wants to ban adoptions from abroad. Now, opposition is mounting. However, opponents and supporters agree on one point.

Shortly :

• In January, the Federal Council announced a ban on adoptions from abroad.
• Now, resistance is brewing. EPP National Councilor Nik Gugger, himself adopted from India, has launched a petition against the ban. The FDP plans to submit a motion on April 11.
• Supporters of the ban take the view that even stricter controls could not prevent illegal adoptions.

Nik Gugger still remembers it clearly: As a six-year-old, he was walking through the village with his parents when suddenly someone called out: "Ah, look, there's Gugger's souvenir."

This experience doesn't stop there. "There were racist remarks from time to time, which made me feel powerless," says the EPP National Councilor, who was born in India in 1970, adopted by a Swiss couple, and grew up near Thun.

After 16 years of negotiations, India and the four European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries in March signed a free-trade agreement (FTA), which may be instrumental in India receiving $100 billion as foreign direct investment (FDI) in 15 years with one million jobs. There is a Karnataka connection to this landmark deal. Dr Niklaus-Samuel Gugger, best known as Nik Gugger, is an Indian-born Swiss politician who is said to have played an instrumental role in the agreement being signed. Gugger currently serves as a member of the National Council (Switzerland).
 

In 1970, a widow, Anasuya, gave birth to a boy at the CSI Basel Mission Hospital in Udupi. Unable to keep the child, she gave him up to Dr Marianne Pflugfelder, and trusted the missionary hospital to find the best place for him. While several orphan kids live an underprivileged life, Gugger was rescued by a Swiss couple Fritz and Elizabeth, who adopted and named him Niklaus-Samuel Gugger.
 

The commerce and industry ministry has said that the agreement will increase Indian industry’s access to the EU market where the country is looking to sign another FTA, while adding that the EFTA is offering 92.2% of its tariff lines, which cover 99.6% of India’s exports. The agreement also covers tariff concession on processed agricultural products (PAP) from India.

India is offering 82.7% of its tariff lines, which covers 95.3% of EFTA exports, nearly 80% of which is in gold.

Swiss watches and chocolates will enjoy the elimination of duty after seven years and concessions are also expected to help India import machinery at cheaper rates. India has provided concessions on 105 of 156 sub-sectors, including areas like accounting, business, and health within services. On the other hand, EFTA countries have provided concessions in over 110 sub-sectors including accounting, auditing, and legal. India exports services worth over $5 billion to EFTA regions.

Speaking to Bangalore Mirror, Nik noted that Switzerland and India have always had a cordial relationship, with both the countries having celebrated 75 years of friendship. He referred to Switzerland and India signing the ‘Treaty of Friendship and Establishment’ on August 14, 1948.

This was the first-of-its-kind, and one of the very first bilateral agreements concluded by the newly independent India. He further expressed his joy over being able to contribute back to the country he was born in by playing a significant role in the recent FTA being signed. Explaining that the negotiations once again began close to one and half years ago, Nik said that as challenges arose, they were overcome by diplomacy and hearing all the stakeholders involved.

Deeming his life no less than a Bollywood story Nik delved into his personal life. Growing up in Switzerland, Gugger worked as a gardener, drove trucks and went to school, earning a degree in mechanical engineering.

Further he went on to study social work, management and innovation along with political communication as well as emergency psychology.

He has been provided with an honorary doctor’s title by the Kalinga Institute Orissa for his work on social science and has set up several educational programs in India.

He is also the owner of a famous Ayurvedic ginger drink in Switzerland – Zingi. He is the Founding President of Swiss Indian Parliamentary Group. Nik was the first to create a group in the Swiss Parliament to strengthen friendship with India. Now, the group has over 62 Swiss Members of Parliament as its active members.