Need ideas for donation

[Globetrotter]

My friend adopted two little girls from India. She has specified no gifts for their birthday, and I want to honor that. However, I'd like to make a donation in their name. Can you think of an appropriate organization? (something related to adoptions to India, ideally, or something like that)

TIA,

Kris

[MarisaSF]

I've been very impressed by the work of the Heifer Project. I just checked their website and they have no current project in India though... (sorry, though they did)... www.heifer.org.

Unicef would be my 2nd thought...

[Bethann31]

I would not give any money to UNICEF, particularly if it is in honor of an international adoption. UNICEF is totally non-adoption, and has succeeded in shutting down international adoptions in several countries (and I think India may be one of them.)

Please see www.familieswithoutborders.org for a long article about UNICEF's position on adoption.

Sorry, but this is a real sore point with me.

Beth
mom to:

Josh 3/90
Mollie 4/92
Jeffrey 12/94
Katherine 6/03

[MarisaSF]

Ooooh...
Thanks for enlightening me, as someone hoping to adopt someday.

Unicef does some great work, but I know not every group can be everything to everybody everytime, kwim?

I certainly didn't mean to offend.

[emmiem]

Why not give a donation to the adoption agency that they used. Generally, they do some sort of relief projects or medical help in the countries where they have adoption programs. How about something to Children International, Akanksha Organization, Cry India, VOICE, or something listed in Tajonline.com?
Hope that helps. That would be a wonderful gift! I have adopted two children internationally and would have loved to receive that for a present.
Michele

[icunurse]

Just to be fair (two sides to every story), here's a link to Unicef's official stance on the matter. Interpret it as you may....

http://www.unicef.org/media/media_15011.html

Traci
~Connor's Mom~
http://lilypie.com/baby2/040204/2/2/4/-6/.png[/img][/url]

[Globetrotter]

Thanks! You gave me an idea.. I'll ask her about the agency, or maybe even the orphanage.

Kris

[holliam]

I don't think it's difficult to interpret UNICEF's stance. They do not support international adoptions because they support intracountry adoptions--ie the children are adopted by people within their own country.

As the mom of a girly from Guatemala, I would personally LOVE it if Guatemalans were willing and/or able to adopt children. Sadly, it's not happening at the rate they need it to. I personally know of one Guatemalan family who adopted 2 children, but it is extremeley rare. When you're the poorest country in the western hemisphere with few or no social welfare programs focused on women and children combined with a multitude of prejudices class/race issues, it just isn't happening. So, instead many children are abandoned and become part of the sadly infamous group of "Guatemalan street children". Do a google search, and you will find one too many hits with that phrase.

I agree that UNICEF does some really wonderful things for kids out there. For example, I strongly support them protecting the children victims of the awful tsunami disaster last December. That is the type of situation in which it truly can become a disasterous situation with child trafficking and displaced adoptions, etc.

However, I really do wish UNICEF were more considerate of situations within individual countries rather than having an "across the board" position on international adoption.

Yes, this is a huge hot issue for me as well.

Holli