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CNN Live At Daybreak

Afghan Finds Happiness in a Ditch

Aired February 01, 2002 - 06:33   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Our team of reporters in Afghanistan not only find tales of war and poverty, CNN is also uncovering stories of life and love.

Our Lisa Rose Weaver reports on how the country's hard times brought a bundle of joy to one Afghan family.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LISA ROSE WEAVER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Achmad (ph) and his wife Soria (ph) couldn't be happier. They're preparing for a wedding party, and the boys are all dressed up. But the real joy is here, baby Soma, the newest addition to the family. All the more welcome because after four boys, they had been hoping for a girl.

ACHMAD (ph) (through translator): I never had a daughter, and I will keep her as my own child even though I found her by accident.

ROSE WEAVER: Found her, did he say? Baby Soma entered the family's life by pure chance here just about 100 feet away from home. Oshmal (ph), the oldest son, was on his way home from school when he looked down and saw what looked like a little doll in this ditch.

Oshmad (ph), who is 10, says he tapped the baby's leg, and she reacted. He ran home to get his mother, they both went to the ditch to bring the baby home.

SORIA (ph) (through translator): Taking this baby is one of the greatest acts in my life. This is a wonderful thing, and everybody's happy and proud.

ROSE WEAVER: As for registration or reporting a baby found to the authorities, no need, says the family. Baby Soma is now ours.

The whole neighborhood has heard the story. No word on who the mother is in a culture where abandoned babies are a natural consequence of the taboo of unwed motherhood. But that doesn't seem to matter one bit to Achmad's (ph) family. Instead, they're focused on what they hoped for and never thought they'd get.

Lisa Rose Weaver, CNN, Kabul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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