Kathmandu, October 18 [2006]:
Paca Tomas, a Spanish woman in her forties, is elated, for her dream of adopting a Nepali child has turned into reality after three-and-a-half years.
"It was like being on top of Everest. Everybody knows it is difficult, but you can imagine the pleasure of being there only when you are finally there," she said today, relating her feeling after she got the approval from the government to adopt the girl-child.
It was almost four years ago when Tomas, an official at the International Oxfam, dreamt of adopting a child. "Now that Subhechha has come to my life, my professional life is a second priority," says the unmarried professional from Barcelona.
Tomas first filed an application at the Ministry of Welfare Family and Adoption in Spain and followed an eight-month hectic process of giving interviews to the ministry officials, child psychologists, social assistants and padagogists.
"It is a long story. They used to come to my home any time and asked any question they had in their mind. They sought my permanent work contract, bank accounts, health certificate and what not. But I was not tired. Then I felt how strongly I wanted to adopt a child," she said.
After getting an approval from the Spanish government, she decided to adopt a Nepali girl. And the Honorary Consular of Nepal, Lluis Belvis, helped her a lot in contacting orphan homes and translating her Spanish documents into English and correspond with the orphanage from where she was to adopt the girl.
"I came to Nepal in March to see my child. When I saw Subhechha in the orphanage, my heart told me she is the girl I love," she said. As the process of approving the adoption here was very long, she had to come here again in October to complete the "whole thing". Thereafter, she had to wait for two more weeks to get the paper signed by the secretary at the Minister for Women Children and Social Welfare.
Meanwhile, she also found that the child, presented as an orphan by the orphanage, actually had parents and she also managed to meet them. "It was shocking. I felt sorry when I knew that Subhechha had parents but I could also understand that they might prefer her to be adopted due to poverty," she said, adding that she would be in contact with them. However, she refused to give the name of the orphanage, which gave her the "orphan".
Tomas may have to face more bureaucratic hassles. The officials can refuse to sign papers without giving reasons. "The process is problematic and needs improvements," she said, smiling. According to the District Administration Office, there are over 600 orphanages in the capital city alone. Thanks to the conflict, many children are left without parents and some orphanages here are found showcasing children with parents as orphans to have them adopted by foreigners.
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