In 1992, two Russian-born American physicians Slava Platanov and Yelena Kogan founded Small World Adoption Foundation. They initially incorporated to provide relief to orphanages in the cities in which they were raised. From their desire to provide relief to the orphanages grew the international adoption aspect of the organization.

           "Before He Came Home"                   "After He Came Home

                                 Michael Adopted in 1993

The first four SWAF children came to the U.S. in 1993. In January of 1994, SWAF began full-scale facilitation of Eastern European adoptions. Since those first four children, SWAF has helped over 1900 orphaned children to find loving families in the U.S. and abroad from the countries of Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. Two of the Directors are the founding physicians. As physicians, they assist families with the selection of children in countries in which their involvement is allowed.  Both the Executive Director and the Director of Foreign Children's Services have personal relationships with many of the orphanage directors and travel to meet children and do follow up on relief efforts several times annually. The entire SWAF staff works hard to provide waiting families with the tools, support, and expertise to assist them in experiencing the most positive adoption experience possible.