My Never-Ending Connection with Kazakhstan
My Never-Ending Connection with Kazakhstan
By Debbie Mansfield, Program Manager
with additional reporting by Laura Wells, Events & Public Relations Coordinator
In August 2000, I moved to Almaty, Kazakhstan to work for an organization that administered U.S. government exchange programs for high school students. Though I had majored in Soviet Studies and lived for a short time in Russia, I knew very little about Central Asia on the whole, and even less about Kazakhstan specifically. When I arrived, I expected to stay just one year; my goal was to perfect my Russian. If at that time someone had told me that I would stay four years, I would never have believed them. Yet, that is exactly what happened.
What made me stay in Kazakhstan so long, even though my family and friends were begging me to return home? I have thought of this question so often and have determined it is the connection that I found in Kazakhstan, the wonderful people I met who have become dear friends, and the country that at first seemed so foreign but quickly became a second home to me, that kept me in Almaty.
Meet WHFC's Representative in Kazakhstan
Our in-country partner, Svetlana Viktorovna Sinitskaya, has speciaalized in adoptions since 1995. Initially, Svetlana worked as a public relations campaign organizer, lobbying for the passage of the adoption law and promoting the idea of international adoption in Kazakhstan media. She was responsible for organizing charitable events for the orphans of Kazakhstan, and developing educational delegations to the United States for Kazakhstani officials.
Svetlana made numerous public and newspaper appearances about the topic of international adoption in Kazakhstan, creating apositive image of the international adoption process. In 1998, the "Law on Marriage and The Family" was passed, organizing and legalizing international adoption in Kazakhstan. Since that time, Svetlana has facilitated the adoptions of over 800 children living in orphanages throughout Kazakhstan. She has established a nonprofit foundation named World Without Orphans, created to help orphans and children who remain without parental care. Svetlana is actively involved in concerns over the rights of children and providing aid to the children and families in need.
"I feel the world without orphans begins from village without orphans, with a city without orphans," says Sinitskaya.
My Immersion into Their Culture
I did not allow myself to hang out with the other foreigners in the city. My friends, with the exception of one were exclusively from kazakhstan. They were of all nationalities, Russian, Georgian, Kazakh, Uighur, Korean, Chechen among many others. After two years in country I had a home, friends, and an established life I never imagined I would have in Kazakhstan. I celebrated holidays with my friends' families. I attended the weddings of my closest friends. I became the godmother to my friend's baby. I cried at the funeral of my friend's father. I did not live in the "expat" community. I was considered by all as a "local".
As my work then and today allows me to travel extensively throughout Kazakhstan, I have seen more of the country than most Kazakhstani people. I have been to, and spent considerable time in, 13 of the 14 regions in Kazakhstan. I understand the difference between the cultures in southern Kazakhstan, (Shymkent and Kyzyl Orda), where most residents are Kazakh, versus northern Kazakhstan, (Ust Kamenogorsk or Petropavloski) where most residents are Russian, Ukranian or German. I have experienced the beautiful landscapes, from the desert to the steppe to the forests and the mountains, and spent time in the smallest of villages and the cosmopolitan cities. I came to love Kazakhstan on many levels, for its people, its beautiful nature and its rich and interesting culture.
Diversity Offers A Peaceful Coexistence
Kazakhstan is a diverse country with over 100 nationalities. The people vary in appearance from full Asian to full Caucasian, and mixed racial identity. As a general rule of thumb, Kazakhs are Asian in appearance, while the Russians are Caucasian. Under the Soviet Union, people were forced to be "russified," that is, speak Russian and adhere to Russian culture. Also under Soviet law, people were not allowed to practice religion. All mosques and churches were closed and the buildings were used for other purposes.
Since the fall of the Soviet Union there has been a national uprising of the Kazakh people, and more Kazakhs are returning to their roots. Kazakh is now the national language of Kazakhstan, and more and more Kazakh language can be heard on the streets. These days, Kazakhstanis are also going back to their religious roots. Kazakhstan is a country where Muslims and Christians live side-by-side in peace. The Kazakhs, Uighurs, and Chechens practice Islma. The Russians, Ukranians and Koreans practice Orthodox Chrisitianity. Visitors are allowed to visit the beautiful mosques as well as churches, and they are among the most beautiful sites in the cities.
Connections Create a Successful Adoption Program
When I returned home to America and began working again at Wide Horizons, one of my main goals was to open an adoption program in kazakhstan. I wanted to be able to help those children who are so in need of families, and to maintain my ties with a country that is so close to my heart. When we began working with our Kazakhstan representative, Svetlana Sinitskaya, I knew that she was someone who shared our passion and mission for helping children in need. It felt like a perfect fit. It was with great joy and pride that our first child arrived home in the States in May 2006.
In August 2006, I spent two weeks in Kazakhstan, working and vacationing. I had a wonderful time, re-connecting with old friends and stopping by my old hang-outs, as well as meeting with Svetlana and visiting children's homes. I found the homes to be well kept, clean and organized. The caretakers seemed engaging and attentive to the children. I was left with the impression that these children are well cared for in the home. While we visited only homes in the Almaty region, Svetlana assured me that there were children waiting all over Kazakhstan for families. She stressed the need for adoptive families, and that there are many boys and girls of all ages who are available for adoption. This reality inspires and motivates me to reach out to adoptive parents in the interest of finding homes for all the children who are waiting!
Children of All Ages Awaiting Adoption
Most of the children available for adoption are of Russian or Asian background and could be Caucasian, Asian or Eurasian in appearance. They range from 6 months to 15 years of age, and there are more boys available than girls. There is a great need to find homes for children over the age of two.
Kazakhstan is an excellent choice for those considering international adoption. It is WHFC's fastest program and the requirements for adoptive families are flexible. Most importantly, the health of the children is remarkable. Both married couples and single women ages 25 to 50 are eligible to adopt and older parents may be considered for school-age children.
We have the capacity to match many children quickly because we have dedicated representatives working in multiple regions of kazakhstan where children are ready and waiting for their forever family.
Our first families submitted dossiers in early 2006 and arrived home with their children by Summer 2006. Here's what one family had to say:
"It was obvious to us that Sarah was very well cared for and loved by the staff at the baby home. We could not have been more pleased and thankful for the care and affection she received. As a result, she came home on target developmentally and is a happy and thriving little girl."