Hear From Those Who Have Found Their Roots

This is just a small number of the amazing journeys some ARC clients have been on in their quest to return to their roots

See testimonials

My Mother Was Found

I have had for a long time a desire to find my biological mother and I have tried to do this on my own,... after approaching Wereldkinderen (the Dutch adoption agency who also arranged our adoption) I was told they would set up a feasibility study to see if it was possible to do a search.

I also approached the Red Cross and the ISS, but was quickly told that they could not and wanted not to do a search. I was kept on a leash by Wereldkinderen for about a year. The feasibility study was repeatedly postponed and I lost confidence in them.

I then got in touch with the organisation ‘Against Child Trafficking (ACT)....I trusted them because they have so much experience with these searches, especially when it comes to trying to obtain the documents from the orphanages.

These orphanages have these documents from the time of the adoption, including the names of the mother and father (if known ) and the time of birth, adoption , etc. but are not generally released by them….the priest of the orphanage did not want to release these documents but he has eventually given them after considerable pressure from ACT.

Thanks to these documents my mother was found and I myself went to India to meet my family, this time accompanied by Anjali, who was present to help with any social differences. I was also looking for my biological father, who’s name was also described in the documents, and thanks to Anjali we eventually found him and I could meet him.

It was a very nice experience to finally meet my biological family. I am writing this post now because I give the message to anyone who wants to search for themselves….ACT can help you get this information.

My dream

My dream came true! I found my biological mother and my relatives after 42 years in India,with the great help of ACT (Against Child Trafficking) and their team and many other fabulous people.It was unbelievable. My second birthday! Thank you all

My heart was aching

All I could wish and hope for was you telling me you would take on my case... my heart was aching so much…I will never forget about that day, because you were there, ACTUALLY caring. Because you took up my case, I was able to keep everything in life I worked for.

My job, my relationships, and family. Today 365 days later, the impossible has been made possible by your hard work, caring heart and fabulous teamwork with Anjali. I met my mother twice, and the heartache has been removed...I felt the motherlove I missed out all of my life, and it gives me the self worth I never had in return. I will treasure it for the rest of my life in every step I take. So thank you for giving me what I always hoped for.

Many Reunions

As an Indian adoptee, I do acknowledge the importance of the work Arun and his team are doing: fighting for the rights of adoptees.

This is of very much importance for adoptees. Deliberately and discretely tracking and tracing families of origin, fighting the current system in court, and trying to convince adoption agencies to share information, is not everyone’s job.The ongoing work and efforts have resulted in many reunions between adoptees and family of origin.

Not everyone understands the complexity of the Indian adoption system and the position of Indian adoptees in it. Arun and his team do. Please, support the work of CRIB.

Born out of wedlock

Lene D. B. Langemyr I was born out of wedlock. That's why she couldn't keep me.

Arun Dohle and Anjali Tara Babanrao Pawar found her for me. They have helped me find biological parents and relatives. It has been a great experience. I feel like I have more peace in my heart and soul now that I have all the answers to the questions I have had.

I Am in Pune now. Was at the zoo today and saw a lion, tiger, bear, and leopard. Have shopped for a lot of nice clothes and gifts. I also met my godchild for whom I pay for school.

I am very happy that I chose ARC.

I thank ARC for everything. I felt very well-advised and in good hands. During the search, I always received brief information such as the status. When my mother was found, I received a detailed written report with photos of the search.

Also, the support and advice afterward, be it in terms of DNA testing, the questions that are in your head, in every matter, such as problems with the visa, finding a hotel,...
The support during the first meeting was unique. I got so many authentic insights into my country and saw where I spent my first years of life...

I am very happy that I chose ARC.

Thanks to Arun, Anjali and the whole team, and everyone who helped with the search.
Now I am whole and I know where my HOME is.

Thanks

I am very happy that I chose ARC.

I contacted Arun in February 2021 in order to get help with my root search in Bangalore, India. In July of the same year already, they had found my family, and the reunion took place in March 2023. I am very thankful for the work that Arun and Anjali did for my case.

They are both skilled and have the right resources and knowledge to do their work to help adoptees. I am also grateful for the fact that they could help with translation and overall facilitate the reunion. In an already emotional journey, they brought both stability and comfort.

Peace

The inner peace that I had been longing for came to me.

Our Beautiful Journey

In 2019, we traveled together to our place of birth for the first time, hoping to discover where we originally come from. During that time, Sulu accompanied us to Kamptee and the foundling home in Nagpur. After that, we continued to Chandrapur, together with an employee of Sulu, to find the person who had originally found Rakhi.

Once we arrived, we visited several places to try to determine where she might have been at that time. Unfortunately, we couldn’t find any answers; that trail led to a dead end. Because the documents stated that Rakhi had been found by a police officer, we went to the police station to look for answers. While we were there, we suddenly received a call telling us that we were unsafe and had to leave immediately. Now, years later, we know that this was an excuse from Sulu to get us away from there.

In 2026, we sought the help of Arun and Anjali. Within three months, we unexpectedly received news that family had been found — and that there was a confirmed match through a DNA test. That’s when we started planning our journey to return to Chandrapur and Nagpur.

During this search, it became clear to us that we would not have succeeded without the help of Arun and Anjali. Due to the negative stories about them, it’s easy to start doubting their sincerity. And yes, the amount you pay for such a search may seem high. But when spread over seven years, it comes down to about €200 per month. When you really think about it, it’s actually strange that some adoptees expect this work to be done for free — while we ourselves don’t work for free either.

What we as adoptees sometimes forget is that they work on this day and night, and that they must always prioritize the safety of our mothers, partly due to cultural differences. We cannot simply make contact on our own without guidance and protection, as we could put our families at risk. This is something we in the Netherlands do not always realize, or sometimes do not want to acknowledge. Therefore, it’s important to first understand the culture before taking these steps.

We are not sharing this story to provoke negative reactions, but to create more understanding.

Continuing our story:

We are grateful to Martijn Boerkamp, who introduced us to Arun in 2018. Without him, we would never have come this far. What many adoptees do not realize is that he, together with Anjali, opened many doors for all of us.

When we arrived in Chandrapur, we finally met the entire team. The guidance was organized down to the smallest detail, allowing us to meet our family in a calm and safe way. Thanks to the support — especially the translation — all our questions were answered, and both we and our family were given the space to make this meeting meaningful.

We were warmly welcomed by the family and were even able to take part in Indian traditions. The aftercare was also very well arranged, which is important, because meeting your family is an intense experience. We also received many helpful tips on what to do and what not to do, for example to avoid getting sick while in India. This care truly comes from the kindness and good intentions of Arun and Anjali, who genuinely want the best for both sides.

On the last day, when we said goodbye, we were confronted with the fact that in 2019 we had been only 500 meters away from our family’s home. This was very painful and confronting for us. We felt disappointed in Sulu, who had told us at the time that we were not safe.

Anjali explained that if we had shown up at the family’s doorstep back then, we might not have been accepted as well. Now, we were able to experience a beautiful and respectful meeting — something we wish for every adoptee: a healthy and safe reunion with their family. Let us not judge one another, but instead support and help each other where needed.

Back in Nagpur, we unfortunately discovered that, due to Sulu’s actions, the foundling home no longer exists. The television program by Kees van der Spek also played a role in this, which ultimately led Sulu to close the door to further assistance.

Arun showed me communication that revealed Sulu had previously been willing to cooperate, but that we — unintentionally — may have missed certain opportunities ourselves. That realization is painful, but we hope that as a community we can learn from this.

I am offically in Reunion

This would not have happened without the hard work and dedication from Against Child Trafficking/Adoptee Rights Council.

It was humbling to witness their work, both in the field and at the office. The level of sensitivity, confidentiality and skill required to successfully perform root searches and protect mothers and women in India amazes me. I thought I understood, but my eyes were opened even further, witnessing it in person.

It is a true shame that there is a defamation campaign launched against my searchers by adoption profiteers, reformists and those who support The Hague Adoption Convention (HAC). Reformists support HAC, and HAC = legalized child trafficking.

Sincerely, if you believe the work of ACT/ARC is a money making racket, remove yourself from my friend list IMMEDIATELY.