Alex Gilbert is using his own experience of being adopted to help connect thousands of people worldwide.
Born in Russia and placed into an orphanage, Gilbert was adopted at two years old by a family in New Zealand. He eventually found his birth parents through social media in 2013.
In 2015, Gilbert founded the charity I’m Adopted, which helps adoptees connect with their birth families.
Gilbert, who has over 38,000 Facebook followers and 6 million YouTube views, said he has easily helped a hundred families to reunite.
“I was in the same boat all these years ago and I want to be able to help, whether it’s supporting one another through our community or just even helping people find their birth family,” he told 1News.
People who have been adopted out can struggle with their identity, and it’s a never-ending journey, said Gilbert, who was fortunate to have open and supportive adoptive parents.
“Growing up here in New Zealand, I always felt like any other New Zealander but also I had this sort of inkling about wanting to know where I come from and I’ve always wanted to ask questions about my bloodlines back in Russia and that was always just a question but I’ve always felt so comfortable here,” he said.
“This is my home here and this is where I was raised so I haven’t felt any different but in the back of my mind, it’s always been that question of ‘what happened all those years ago?'”
Some people have struggled to find who their birth parents are as previous laws kept identities secret.
“It is heartbreaking when you don’t know about those answers for a long period of time.”
Gilbert is hoping his organisation goes from strength to strength, so more adoptees can connect and have peer-to-peer support.
“I think that if we can get some extra support, whether it’s through Government or other big organisations around the world, that would be so great.
“Here in New Zealand, it would be great to be able to connect with that and do more work with them and make that more special for people that need their help.”
