Wednesday's Child: 12-Year-Old Alijah

(MARE) - Alijah is a social, engaging and polite boy of Cape Verdean descent. His favorite activities include playing sports, board games and card games, and singing and dancing. He also likes cooking, baking and swimming. Alijah is particularly good at basketball and he enjoys showing others his skills.

Alijah does benefit from accommodations listed on his IEP to assist him with more emotional/social supports. He does well in school and is performing on grade level. Alijah is hopeful that he will be able to step down to a less restrictive setting in the near future.

Legally freed for adoption, Alijah will do best in a family with no other children in the home or with children older than he is. An ideal family will be able to give Alijah the one-on-one attention that he craves, and provide him with structure and clear rules. He would also love for his future family to have pets or be open to adopting a pet. It is very important to Alijah that he is able to maintain contact with his eight siblings who are also looking to be adopted.

For more information you can contact MARE: 617-964-MARE (6273) or visit www.mareinc.org.

Since its inception in 1981, Wednesday's Child has been a collaboration of the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE), the Department of Children & Families and WBZ-TV/CBS Boston. Hosted by Jack Williams for 34 years, this weekly series has given a face and voice to the children who wait the longest for families. Wednesday's Child has helped find homes for hundreds of waiting children and continues to raise awareness about adoption from foster care.