Published on ShanghaiDaily.com (http://www.shanghaidaily.com/)
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2008/200811/20081117/article_380922.htm
Quake orphans wait for adoption
Created: 2008-11-17 0:38:10
WHEN 10-year-old Zhao Guodong started convulsing at midnight in Zitong Children's Welfare Home in Sichuan Province, care was close at hand.
"I knew nothing at that time. I only remember I was in hospital and there was an aunt in purple clothes holding my hands," said Zhao, who lost his parents in the May 12 earthquake in southwest China.
The "aunt" was Bai Lifang, a worker in the home in Mianyang City, Sichuan Province. She held his hands for seven hours that night to prevent the boy hurting himself. "I could not bear to see him suffering, but I had to," said Bai.
Only 12 of Sichuan's 263 quake orphans have been legally adopted. "I have many niangniang," Zhao said, using the Sichuan dialect term of affection for an aunt.
Luo Huili, the home's nursing director, said Zhao is one of 10 quake orphans still in the home, which received more than 50 children from the quake zone as it is the only welfare home in the worst hit area of Beichuan County.
Most of the kids were simply lost and were later picked up by parents or other family members, she said.
Donations from around the country have come to the home since the quake, Luo said.
According to the provincial Department of Civil Affairs, 90 percent of the more than 600 orphans were taken into care by their relatives while 60 remained in welfare homes.
Relatives have priority in adopting quake orphans according to government regulations, said Zhang Li, deputy director of the department. The adoption process began in late August. As of last Wednesday, only 12 orphans had been legally adopted while the others were with relatives or in welfare homes.
Zhao's healthy twin sister has been sent to Qingdao, a coastal city in east China's Shandong Province.
"Someone will support her and maybe find a job for her in the future," Zhao said.
Zhao remains behind with two other orphans, one aged six, the other eight. They are all intellectually disabled, but accepted by a nearby school as non-registered students.
The other seven children in the home are unable to attend school. "We know nothing about the others because they cannot answer questions," Luo said. "All we can do is to guarantee their health. They just need more love."
"I knew nothing at that time. I only remember I was in hospital and there was an aunt in purple clothes holding my hands," said Zhao, who lost his parents in the May 12 earthquake in southwest China.
The "aunt" was Bai Lifang, a worker in the home in Mianyang City, Sichuan Province. She held his hands for seven hours that night to prevent the boy hurting himself. "I could not bear to see him suffering, but I had to," said Bai.
Only 12 of Sichuan's 263 quake orphans have been legally adopted. "I have many niangniang," Zhao said, using the Sichuan dialect term of affection for an aunt.
Luo Huili, the home's nursing director, said Zhao is one of 10 quake orphans still in the home, which received more than 50 children from the quake zone as it is the only welfare home in the worst hit area of Beichuan County.
Most of the kids were simply lost and were later picked up by parents or other family members, she said.
Donations from around the country have come to the home since the quake, Luo said.
According to the provincial Department of Civil Affairs, 90 percent of the more than 600 orphans were taken into care by their relatives while 60 remained in welfare homes.
Relatives have priority in adopting quake orphans according to government regulations, said Zhang Li, deputy director of the department. The adoption process began in late August. As of last Wednesday, only 12 orphans had been legally adopted while the others were with relatives or in welfare homes.
Zhao's healthy twin sister has been sent to Qingdao, a coastal city in east China's Shandong Province.
"Someone will support her and maybe find a job for her in the future," Zhao said.
Zhao remains behind with two other orphans, one aged six, the other eight. They are all intellectually disabled, but accepted by a nearby school as non-registered students.
The other seven children in the home are unable to attend school. "We know nothing about the others because they cannot answer questions," Luo said. "All we can do is to guarantee their health. They just need more love."
Xinhua
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