Family ties

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From Snehankur to the World... and Back Again

July was a truly special month as three remarkable young people, all adopted through Snehankur Adoption Centre, returned to the place where their journeys first began.

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Sixteen-year-old Abhay, who was adopted in 2010, grew up in the United Kingdom after moving there with his family. Proudly describing himself as “half English and half Indian,” Abhay embraced every moment of his return to Snehalaya.

During his visit, he spent joyful time at Snehankur, playing with the children and handing out chocolates. He enthusiastically volunteered with the LKG classes at our Snehalaya English Medium School (SEMS), rolled up his sleeves in our bakery to help make biscuits, later enjoyed by our Snehankur children, and joined lively games of football with our school students and the boys of Sneh-Sparsh, who were only too happy to show off their skills.

It was a short visit, but one filled with warmth, laughter and unforgettable memories. The smiles captured in the photographs speak louder than words.

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Nineteen-year-old Santvana's journey began in unimaginable tragedy. She was the sole survivor of a devastating gas-cylinder explosion that claimed the lives of her mother, father and baby brother.

After extensive medical treatment for the burns she endured in the accident, Santvana came to Snehankur Adoption Centre, where she lived for three years before being adopted by Jasmin from the United States.

Nine years later, Santvana returned to Snehalaya with one wish above all others—to thank the doctors who had cared for her and reconnect with the community where her remarkable journey of healing began.

She also joined in our Malala birthday celebrations and volunteered at Snehankur, spending time playing with the toddlers. Looking to the future Santavan would like to be a physiotherapist. In her own words: “I’d like to heal people”. Her inspiring story has been captured in our short documentary Santvana Singh: The Incredible Journey, which will premiere on Never Give Up Day, 18 August.

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Seventeen-year-old Tanay Belwadi was adopted through Snehankur in 2009, when he was just seven months old. His parents, Chitra and Shrikanth, have been enthusiastic supporters of Snehalaya since his adoption and now serve as our representatives in the USA.

Tanay has returned to Snehalaya many times with his family, but this visit was different—this time, he came alone. A bright, enthusiastic and thoughtful young man, Tanay was looking for a meaningful community-service opportunity and felt that Snehalaya was the right place to contribute.

During his stay, he was keen to look behind the scenes and understand how Snehalaya works. He spent time with staff members, learning about their different roles and responsibilities and gaining a deeper understanding of what is involved in running our many projects.

Tanay also joined the morning assembly at SEMS and spoke with our teachers about how artificial intelligence could be used as a practical tool to support and enhance their teaching.

Looking towards the future, Tanay hopes to become a biomedical engineer, designing medical devices that help diagnose, monitor and treat patients. Like Santvana, he clearly sees his future in helping others.

He would also like to support Snehalaya through our social-media platforms, using his ideas and skills to help share our work with a wider audience.

A place that will always feel like home

Despite growing up thousands of miles apart—in India, the UK and the USA—Abhay, Santvana and Tanay share many of the same qualities. They are bright, compassionate young people who love animals, want to help others and hope to remain involved with Snehalaya.

One of the most touching things about their visits was seeing how naturally all three gravitated towards Snehankur. They seemed happiest simply spending time, playing and interacting with the children there awaiting their own transformative journeys through adoption. It was as though they instinctively felt at home in the place where their own futures had begun.

Adoption creates lifelong bonds that reach far beyond childhood. Watching Abhay, Santvana and Tanay return as confident, compassionate and caring young adults is one of the greatest rewards of our work.

They have all grown into remarkable people whom their parents are extremely proud of—and so are all of us at Snehalaya.

No matter where life takes you, our doors—and our hearts—will always be open. You will always be part of the Snehalaya family, and we look forward to welcoming you home again very soon.