Khere - Adopted Roma and Families Information Network (KARFIN)

The main purpose of this Voice of Roma project is to connect families who have or are adopting Romani children. The Romani word khere means "at home" - in our case, feeling comfortable in Romani as well as in other environments. Karfin, derived from the Greek "nail," is a Romani word for something that holds different parts together. Families formed through adoption often incorporate more than one ethnic experience into their lives and try to put these identities together into a meaningful whole. Romani people are heirs to a long history, with a highly diverse present that includes an Indic language and the influence of many cultures. Romanies who were adopted usually have very limited access to accurate information about other members of their ethnic group. This is why KARFIN came into being.

This group, moderated by a Romani woman together with another adoptive mother with close ties to Roma, is primarily intended for adoptive and foster parents (who may need to discuss sensitive issues). Cultural information will also be re-posted on a group for Roma and part-Roma who joined their families through adoption or foster care: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/karfin_lollipop

Keywords: Roma, Romanies, Rroma, Gypsy, Romany, international adoption, transracial adoption, transcultural adoption, Gypsies in foster care, Roma in foster care, adoptive families, Bulgarian adoption, Romanian adoption, Hungarian adoption, Russian adoption, Eastern European adoption, multicultural, multiple identities