In a heartwarming turn of events, two orphan minor girls from the Mohana area of Gajapati district, who were rescued by the district administration about four years ago, found new parents and a home in Italy on Friday. The sisters, aged 12 and 14, were adopted by a couple from Florence, Italy, who work as an associate professor and an agriculture technical officer. The couple, who wished to remain anonymous, declared their intention to adopt the girls at Paralakhemundi.
Adoption Process
Following the rules and regulations of the Central Adoption Resources Authority (CARC), an autonomous and statutory body under the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare, the additional district magistrate (ADM), Munindra Honnagea, who also serves as the in-charge collector, handed over the girls to the couple. The adoption was completed in the presence of various officials, including a representative of Italy's Authorized Foreign Adoption Agency (AFAA), chairman of the Child Welfare Committee A K Tripathy, district social welfare officer Manorama Dei, district child protection officer (DCPO) Arun Kumar Tripathy, and officials from the orphanage where the sisters had been housed since their rescue.
Background of the Sisters
The girls were rescued from the Mohana area in 2022 and subsequently placed in a childcare home at Hatibadi, near Paralakhemundi. After the death of their parents, they had been living with a relative. Currently, they are studying in Class VI and Class VIII. The couple had applied to CARC in New Delhi over three years ago for adoption of a girl from India.
Adoption Statistics
The DCPO revealed that in the last eight years, 83 orphaned children from Gajapati district have been adopted by individuals within the country and abroad. Among these, 14 children, including the two sisters, were adopted by foreign couples, highlighting the growing trend of international adoptions from the region.
