About Us 'Families with Children from South Africa' is a network for families who are either waiting to adopt or have adopted from South Africa in Ontario, Canada. The network provides support, mentorship and an opportunity for our children to have ongoing contact and friendship with other adopted children from the same birth country. Children adopted transracially and internationally have special challenges in developing strong racial and personal identities. Many studies have show that having friendships with other children who have been adopted (or are from similar cultures) can ease this transition and assist transracially adopted children with forming strong identities and ties to their community. These ties are especially important as the children grow older and begin to ask about their heritage, culture and race. The Families with Children from South Africa network aims to support parents on their adoption journey and create a network where parents can receive support while they are waiting for a referral, when travelling to South Africa, transition challenges, attachment issues, and many other fundamental topics. As parents we strive to build strong ties in our children's birth culture in order to raise "bi-cultural" competent persons who have a healthy sense of identiy and pride in their birth heritage. Support groups can assist with this goal. The Families with Children from South Africa network meets formally five times a year, but also encourages informal gatherings, coordinates attendance at African events, and regular playdates among the children. We believe in UBUNTU the South African philosophy of humaness, caring and community that means "people are people through other people." The network is run by parent volunteers who have a passion for adoption and love of South Africa. Founded by parents with children from South Africa for our kids in February 2006. The family network also assists Emmanuel's Wish Foundation (CCRA Registered Charity) to raise money for a children's home in South Africa and one in Kenya. We feel it is important for families who adopt from overseas to continue to support the children who remain in the country until they can find 'forever families' too!