Its formal definition, according to Adoption.org, is: the legal act of permanently placing a child with a parent or parents other than the child’s birth/ biological mother or father. A legal adoption order has the effect of terminating the parental rights of the birth mother and father, while transferring these rights and responsibilities to the adoptive parents such that, for all intents and purposes, the adopted child is regarded as the child of the adoptive parent/s.
In the African context, adoption is an age-long practice that has helped to stabilise the lives of children who would otherwise be left desolate, says Dr Zulumathabo Zulu, a cultural expert and research scientist at Madisebo Research Institute. “African culture is based on a clannish system. Therefore, in the past, it was
