An Adoption Story

Nov 23, 2022

Alexei was born in Ukraine but moved to Pskov, Russia at an early age. He was then adopted at the age of eight to New Zealand. Throughout his life he has learnt that staying positive helps him when times get difficult, living with Eisenmenger Syndrome.

Dec 3, 2022

Viktoria was born in the North of Russia, in a city called Severodvinsk. She was adopted at the age five by her New Zealand parents who also adopted another child from the neighbourhood city Arkhangelsk.

Dec 16, 2022

Anya Gibson, lives in the far south of New Zealand. She was adopted at the age of four from a regional orphanage inside of Saint Petersburg, Russia. Prior to her adoption, she was looked after by her grandmother.

Jan 12, 2023

Romanian adoptee Alex Kuch was adopted from Cluj-Napoca, Romania at the age of two by his German parents. His family then moved to New Zealand in 2006. Alex shares his journey of his reconnections with Romania and his birth family.

Jan 25, 2023

Vanya was adopted from an orphanage in Arkhangelsk, Russia in the late 1990s by his New Zealand parents. With information that his parents held onto about his birth family, he managed to get a letter through to his Birth Mother in 2010.

Feb 15, 2023

Alexei D'Ath was adopted from an orphanage in Pechory, Russia by his New Zealand parents. Born with spina bifida, Alexei shares his gratitude to his parents who saved his life.

Mar 23, 2023

Katya Reach was adopted from an orphanage in Donetsk, Ukraine at the age of four years old by her American parents.

Apr 8, 2023

Russian-American adoptee Zachary-Victor was adopted at the age of 8 months from Krasnodar, Russia. He was raised in Long Island to Brooklyn to pursue a career in music.

Apr 22, 2023

Nina was born from a small village called Bolshaya Vruda which is located just below Saint Petersburg in Russia. She was adopted at the age of three and a half years old by her American parents who then raised her in Rochester, New York.

Jun 19, 2023

Iván was adopted at the age of 13 months from Moscow, Russia by his Spanish parents. He was raised on the north coast of Spain. He had always known that he had birth family in Russia but later on he found out about having links in Armenia.

Jul 10, 2023

Marina was born in Staryi Krym, Crimea to then being adopted out from an orphanage in Simferopol by her Italian parents. With her life in Italy, she has grown up learning more about her roots within Crimea.

Aug 7, 2023

Felicita was born in the city of Odesa, Ukraine to then being adopted at the age of 7 months by her Italian parents. She was raised in the small village town of Ascea. She shares her journey and story.

Jun 21, 2024

Ekaterina Clark's journey began in Syktyvkar, Russia, where she was adopted at the age of three. Raised in New Zealand, she shares her journey from childhood to discovering her roots and birth family, connecting past and present.

Sep 28, 2024

Born in Waihi and adopted as an infant to Wellington, Ian discovered at 48 that he was adopted. With his daughter Yolande, he uncovered his Maori heritage, tracing his whakapapa back to the 1300s.

Dec 15, 2024

Adopted from Russia at four, Valentina grew up in Australia embracing her roots. In New Zealand, motherhood sparked a journey to uncover her past.

Apr 13, 2025

Adopted from Velikiye Luki, Russia, at age four, Victor began a new life in Auckland, New Zealand. Now a science teacher and photographer in Christchurch, he continues to explore his roots and uncover the story of his biological mother.

Aug 1, 2025

Special Episode: Adoptive parents Janice and Mark Gilbert share their journey of adopting Alex and Andrei Gilbert from Russia in the 1990s and raising them in New Zealand.

Jan 15, 2026

Adopted as a baby in Auckland, Tracy grew up with many unanswered questions about her identity. As an adult, she began searching for her birth family to better understand her origins and early connections.

Feb 11, 2026

Adopted from Romania at age three, Daniela Brown was born in Jilava Prison and spent her early months with her birth mother before placement in an orphanage. Raised in New Zealand, in her late twenties she begins to explore her origins.

Mar 11, 2026

Oksana was born in 1991 in Russia's Smolensk region and adopted at five and a half to Christchurch, New Zealand. In her thirties, after becoming a mother, she searches for answers and discovers a sister and cousin she never knew.

Apr 11, 2026

Adopted as a baby in Auckland, Arna always knew she was adopted. As an adult, she searched for answers about her past. Meeting her grandmother changed everything, helping her understand parts of her story that had long been missing.