I'm in the process of writing to him at the moment - it's difficult to hit the right keys when all of your fingers are crossed!

The details are as follows:

Mr I Nkomazana
Department of Social Welfare
PO Box 1098
Bulawayo
Zimbabwe

Phone Bulawayo 70312

(Letter 2)
Re:- Mr Nkomazana
Mr N will be leaving his post in Bulawayo. Today (Monday 30th April 2002) is his last day - he actually moves to London on Friday ...

Apart from confirming that - I'm e-mailing you because I've just got off the phone with Mr N. He has looked into my case & although I was born in Bulawayo (Lady Rodwell) I was adopted at Marondera (then Marandellas I believe) Mr N says that my file is held there! He has written to the Marondera office with my request & copied the letter to Head Office and that is all he can do. (He assures me that the Marondera people will take up my case.)

I don't know what you think, but I think that this is a very significant point!

During my search for information I have contacted many departments - always on the advice of others & although I am grateful for any help, we were all missing one vital (and now that I know about it, obvious) clue!

Records are held at the place of adoption which may be different to the place of birth!

This is different to the practices of both SA and UK where records are held centrally.

So adoptees need to look at the top of their Order of Adoption and contact the place where they were adopted not (necessarily) where they were born.

Perhaps (almost certainly) others have been brighter than me and have spotted this and have already written to the right place ... but I wrote to Harare initially believing that records would be held centrally.

I'm sorry but I don't know where this leaves birth mothers ... but perhaps "where was my baby adopted?" would be a pertinent question in their search.

I also don't know the address for the Marondera office yet, but when I do, I'll forward it to you.

NOTE FROM WEBMASTER: Mr Nkomazana has helped us on many occasions above and beyond the call of duty, and regrettably he is now living in London.
What Rebecca says about opening the records has been the case for some years now. But in order to have FULL access, both parties need to give written permission, otherwise only bparents' initials and scanty details pertaining to medical records are released to the adoptee, and nothing to the bmother.
As I have said in other places in this site, just persevere, make sure you know your rights, and good luck!
BTW, one of my birth mothers advises that records are also available for a 5-figure Zim Dollar fee under the table. I would advise against it, as it could jeopardise other people's chances in the future, if the Welfare officer gets found out.