Terre des Hommes responds to adoption story in Trouw

In response to the article in Trouw today about the possible involvement of Terre des Hommes in abuses with adoptions from Bangladesh in the 1970s, Terre des Hommes would like to emphasize that it appreciates that former employees of Terre des Hommes make their voices heard. Terre des Hommes is investigating the case and is in contact with the adoptees.

Diffuse situation

Terre des Hommes appreciates that former employees such as Elly and Mart van den Berg are stepping forward to provide better insight into what happened 40 years ago with regard to intercountry adoptions from Bangladesh. At the moment, Terre des Hommes is looking indoors for all relevant information that can clarify the diffuse period back then.

Reception in your own country

The focus of Terre des Hommes has always been to care for orphans or children who cannot be brought up within their own family in their native country and to help build their future.

Help with adoption

The Intercountry Adoption Foundation (SIA), later BIA (the predecessor of NICWO / Wereldkinderen), arranged the official adoptions from Bangladesh at the time. SIA used the local office manager of Terre des Hommes in Bangladesh as a contact person for this. If children from Terre des Hommes projects were adopted, Terre des Hommes employees sometimes also provided guidance to the Netherlands.

Office manager dismissal

In the late 1970s, rumors arose that said office manager would abuse his position at TDH. After legal proceedings regarding adoption fraud were also started against him, TDH ended the employment contract in 1982. TDH is now trying to obtain as much information and documentation as possible from the 1976-1982 period to help committed adoptees in search of their biological family. Terre des Hommes is in contact with them.

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