PLEASE NOTE THAT OUR OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED FROM 12 DEC 2014 TO 12 JANUARY 2015.

#WorldAdoptionDay Event - CH2 is there!

We are so honored to have the best guitar-duo in South Africa, CH2, as our performing artists at the first ever #WorldAdoptionDay Event, Nov 9th.

Do not miss this wonderful celebration!

Entrance is free.

Bring along your family and friends!

#WorldAdoptionDay Event - YOU ARE INVITED!

YOU ARE INVITED!

09 November  *  15:00  *  Doxa Deo Moot Campus, 1245 Ben Swart Street, Pretoria

Please watch - click the link!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJgeRO5Ui5g&feature=youtu.be

#WorldAdoptionDay Event hosted by Abba Specialist Adoption & Social Services

Go Team Abba (Pierre Fourie & Wayne Lotter) - Fedgroup Berg & Bush Race 2014

On the weekend of 10 - 12 October 2014 the Fedgroup Berg & Bush Race 2014 will take place near Winterton in the Central Drakensberg.

Two very brave gentleman, Pierre Fourie and Wayne Lotter, will be riding proudly, wearing the Abba-cycle kit in support of adoption.

If you are attending and do spot the Abba-logo, please give them a great big shout of support.

Pierre & Wayne, THANK YOU for believing that every child deserves a family and creating positive awareness of adoption. We appreciate you!

When looking at images of last years' race, we really do wish you all the best!

Updates and pictures will be posted on the Abba Twitter-feed.

ADOPTION CONFERENCE - 3 & 4 October 2014

Oasis Haven / Umndeni is hosting an adoptions conference on 3 & 4 Oct 2014. Herewith all relevant information and schedule:

Article: Uphill battle for adoptive parents (Sunday Times, 1 June 2014)

Interesting article with comments by Abba Director, Katinka Pieterse.

Abandonment of our children - working towards solutions

MOTHER DISAPPEAR AFTER GIVING BIRTH  

New Age, 22 May 2014

ABANDONED BABIES FORGOTTEN 

The Star, 21 May 2014

MOTHER WOULD RATHER ABANDON KIDS THAN HAVE THEM ADOPTED

Saturday Star, 10 May 2014

UNWANTED BABIES PAY FOR `WRATH OF ANCESTORS`

Weekend Argus, 11 May 2014

STOP DUMPING OF BABIES

The Citizen, 5 May 2014

MUM DUMPS BABY!

Daily Sun, 16 Apr 2014

BABY ABANDONED

Ridge Times, 14 Apr 2014

It is Child Protection Week and these are not only the headlines in our newspapers, but also the reality we need to deal with in South Africa.

Abandoned babies and children are a daily occurrence and the numbers are on the increase.

At Abba we choose to work, without wavering, to change this through:

-       Educating & supporting ladies with relevant information regarding choices they have in the event of an unplanned pregnancy

-       Partnerships with hospitals, police stations and schools

-       Creating awareness of choices in an unplanned pregnancy

If you need assistance, please contact us!

24-hour crisis line: 082 7833374

Office hours: 0123426145

www.abbaadoptions.co.za

info@abbaadoptions.co.za

ABBA DIRECTOR, KATINKA PIETERSE, COMMENTS ON NEW SOUTH AFRICA, AUSTRALIA INTERCOUNTRY ADOPTION PROGRAM

Tony Abbott’s South Africa, Australia Intercountry Adoption program change will help five children

 

Talking adoption ... Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Deborra-Lee Furness, Hugh Jackman and Lisa Wilkinson who have discussed adoption issues within Australia at Kirribilli House. Picture: Carly Earl Source: News Limited

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott’s deal to hasten adoptions of children from South Africa will only initially create places for five orphaned children in Australia.

Those children will be HIV-positive, born to HIV-positive mothers or demonstrate developmental delays.

There is hope that the number of South African adoptions will rise, but so far no agreement has been struck to take more than five children over an unspecified period.

The Prime Minister’s announcement in early May was reported as a major breakthrough in Australia and South Africa, where some media claim there are an estimated four million orphaned children.

Actress Deborra-Lee Furness, whom with husband Hugh Jackman has adopted two foreign children, joined Mr Abbott to talk up the announcement on the Today Show, saying she was “thrilled” for all parents who are desperate to adopt.

Mr Abbott’s language on the same program was, in hindsight, more circumspect. He said that the “potential for overseas adoption is somewhat greater today than it was yesterday”.

Australian adoption advocates said they were unaware the arrangement applied to so few children.

“It’s taken seven years of negotiation to get five children,” said Sydney-based Ricky Brisson of the Australian Intercountry Adoption Network, who nonetheless conceded five was better than

none.

Hot topic ... Hugh Jackman, Lisa Wilkinson, Tony Abbott, Deborra-Lee Furness and Tony Abbott discussed adoption issues within Australia at Kirribilli House. Picture: Carly Earl Source: News Limited

John O’Neill, chair of Adoption Awareness, had praised Mr Abbott’s South African announcement without being aware of the detail, but said he was not concerned about the small numbers.

“I’m not alarmed about the opening of a relationship with South Africa on a small volume, special needs basis,” he said. “This is the next step in a long journey.”

The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet’s report on Intercountry Adoption was released in redacted form on May 4. It recommended the South Africa deal but gave no detail.

The fine print was revealed on the website of Attorney-General George Brandis, which stated that Australia would work with a group called Cape Town Child Welfare to find homes for five children.

“CTCW has advised that it will initially accept five files from Australia,” states the Attorney-General’s site.

“Applicants approved to send files will need to be assessed as suitable to care for children with the types of complex medical and health conditions which many South African children in need of intercountry adoption have.”

The five children would be “both boys and girls aged up to six years, who have complex medical and health conditions”, which likely included HIV-exposed kids in the Aids-ravaged country.

The Attorney-General’s Department was also unable to say how long waiting times would be if the five applications were successful.

Katinka Pieterse, program director of South Africa’s ABBA child protection organisation and vice-chair of the National Adoption Coalition, questioned the figure of four million orphans cited by her country’s media.

She suggested there were up to 2.5 million vulnerable children, but only about 2000 children officially up for adoption. All efforts were first made to place them in South African homes.

Ms Pieterse said about 200 children went to intercountry adoption each year, and they typically had health or development issues.

“That is our need,” she said. “A lot of them are HIV-exposed and they’re the ones we need families for, because we can’t always find places for them here.”

She said foreign countries were more likely to take children with special needs than South African homes.

Questioned why Australia had struck a deal with only one Cape Town adoption agency, Ms Pieterse explained that there were only a dozen or so accredited adoption agencies in her country.

Ms Pieterse said the overarching South African Central Authority — which did the deal with Australia — was mindful of not creating competition among accredited agencies who might want to offload children.

“It’s part of a structured development and it’s a start,” she said. “It’s preferable to work with one agency and then develop relationships with others.

“Adoption is not the ideal position for children. One should seek other options first. My understanding is the agreement is positive but it’s definitely not massive.”

paul.toohey@news.com.au

Full published article available:
http://www.perthnow.com.au/lifestyle/parenting/tony-abbotts-south-africa-australia-intercountry-adoption-program-change-will-help-five-children/story-fnhlcy27-1226920441668

Why Karin chose to adopt as single person

Why Karin chose to adopt as single person

 

We would like to share with you the wonderful story of Karin Hallin from Stockholm. Through our intercountry adoptions Karin adopted a beautiful little girl named Maja.

 

To access the original article, published in Sweden, please follow the link:

http://www.dagen.se/vardag/darfor-valde-karin-att-adoptera-ensam/

 

 

Karin Hallin, single and just over 40, longed for children.

 

Maja, from South Africa, needed a mother.

 

The nearly four year journey towards adoption was lined with hard decisions for Karin, but also by strong support of family, friends and church.

  

One year old Maja is sleeping in her crib. Karin, Maja's mother since four months ago, tip-toes through the apartment in the north of Stockholm in order not to wake her.

 

In the kitchen , Maja's chair with bib, and the stacks of CD’s with colourful covers on the table, makes it clear that this is no longer a single person’s household.

 

“Maja loves music”, says Karin, as she pours the tea. It’s been three months since Karin and Maja, accompanied by Karin’s father for support, was greeted with hugs, flowers and stuffed animals by Maja’s new family at Landvetter Airport.

 

Karin Hallin grew up in Gothenburg. She decided to become a Christian in her teens and found its origin in the Mission Church in Fiskebäck .

 

“I have never doubted if God thinks it is a good choice to adopt as a single”, she says.

 

Over the last fifteen years of her life, her main focus in life has been to work with international aid. She is currently with the Christian Council of Sweden in Stockholm, but in the past worked and lived in different parts of the world.

 

About herself and how the decision to adopt emerged, Karin tells: “I have had some long-term relationships, but for various reasons, there have never been children. In my thirties I realized that I still want to have children, and I want it to be a conscious choice on my part if it is so, or not”.

 

How do you answer those who say that a child needs two parents when you decided to adopt as a single person?

 

Karin answers: “There are so many children who have no parents at all, while I have the finances and ability to care for a child. When a single person chooses to adopt, the social welfare board examines that the person has a well-functioning network. My support from family, friends and colleagues regarding adoption has been huge.

Sure, I've had friends who were worried that it will be a struggle being a single parent, but everyone around me has been very supportive and I have never felt that my decision has been questioned. When I brought Maja to the church, we have been met with open arms.”

Maja wakes up and Karin brings her to the kitchen where she sleepily cuddles in her mother's arms.

 

Karin tells how she has, in addition to taking the big decision about adopting as a single person, also reflected on the difficult issues surrounding intercountry adoptions. She was, firstly, concerned about the high-profile cases where adoptions have gone wrong, and secondly the major issues regarding unfair economic structures in the world resulting in people abandoning their children. She comments, “For me it's important not to shield myself from the issues, but at the same time I felt comfortable with the process of Maja’s adoption. My consolation is that I am also in my profession working daily to change unjust structures in the world”.

 

She kisses Maja , who has woken up properly and want a clementine .

 

When the opportunity to adopt Maja came in June 2013, it was after more than four years of the adoption process! Just a few countries allow single persons to adopt, and therefore the process was extra long.

 

“Maja was extremely longed-for and the anticipation through the years has been incredibly difficult”, says Karin.

 

But, when Karin tells how it was Maja - of all the adoptable children - who finally was matched with her, she speaks of it as a miracle.

 

In South Africa , social services examines whether there are parents or relatives who can take care of a baby that might be adoptable. If not, finding South African adoptive parents are the next option. Only if there is no one suitable in South Africa, intercountry adoption will become an option.

 

Karin also filled in the application that she would consider adopting a child with special needs.

 

Therefore, she was surprised when the Swedish Adoptionscentrum contacted her with the news - on a Tuesday in June2013 – that she has become a mother to a little healthy girl!

 

“After the announcement I cycled home wobbly, it was a crazy feeling. Only nine days later, I would be in South Africa. And two days after that, on Maja's first birthday, I got her”, says Karin.

 

The South African organization, Abba Adoptions that handles adoptions to Sweden, has Christian values. After Karin and Maja’s introduction to each other it was clear that they were instantly comfortable with each other and a definite match. Karin was told Karin how the match between mother and daughter came about: an Abba-social worker had read Karin’s profile and felt Maja fitted with Karin, but, she turned away those thoughts because Karin was single and also open to accept a child with special needs - there are not many people that say yes to a child with disabilities.

 

The decision on which parent the child will get is done in a meeting between staff from Abba, where several suggestions for parents are discussed.

 

Karin tells, “In the meeting all felt strongly that Maja and I belonged together after all, and they decided to pray about it. The next day, they were in agreement: They felt that it was the Lord's leading that Maja would be matched with me. When they told us, both me and my father, who was with me started crying. Maja is a small miracle! How could I think otherwise?”.

 

Maja is clearly tired of sitting still in her mother's arms. She wants to move, and on unsteady legs she runs out into the living room.

 

“She learned to walk last Thursday”, says Karin proudly.