'First in the file': The Kazakh family that adopted four siblings

“In total, there are eight of us – our six children, and us two,” says Yevgeniy, a gardener from Alatau, a small town near Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Five years ago, Yevgeniy and his wife Anna, who had a biological child already, decided to adopt another child. But when they arrived at the orphanage, the “first in the file”, in need of the most urgent adoption, wasn’t just one child. It was four siblings together: three brothers and a sister. No one wanted to adopt them, Yevgeniy and Anna were told.   

Shocked by this, and intent on keeping the children together, Anna and Yevgeniy adopted all four children, including Yegor with cerebral palsy, and brought them home at once. They also adopted Ruslan, nine months later.

Initially, as the family adjusted to living together, there were some challenges. The children experienced some rivalry and disagreements, struggles at school and outbursts.

“To address these conflicts, we would individually engage with each child, providing them with dedicated attention and emotional support," Anna explains.

When a problem arose, the parents would calmly talk about the child’s feelings, their worries about school or friends, and find solutions together. 

As parents, they constantly express their love every day, reassuring the children that they have faith in their ability to learn and grow. As a family, they continue to learn and adapt together, embracing the joys and challenges that come with raising children.

"We started finding common ground day by day. And then one day, it arrives, almost imperceptibly,” Anna says. “And suddenly there is joy.”

"It’s not always easy, but once you overcome these challenges, you emerge as a new person, ready to fully dedicate yourself to these children," Yevgeniy says.

"We have been together for five years now and we are journeying forward."