The biological mother of Angelina Jolie's adopted Ethiopian daughter, 12-year-old Zahara, is pleading with the actress to, "Please just let me talk to my daughter."
31-year-old Mentewab Dawit Lebiso, who gave birth to Zahara when she was only 19-years-old, is clear that while she does not want custody of the little girl she placed up for adoption, she does want to be part of her life.
"'I just want her to know that I am alive and here and long to be able to speak with her. I do not want my daughter back but just to be in contact with her and be able to call her up and talk with her," she told Daily Mail.
Mentewab became pregnant with Zahara after she was brutally raped by an intruder who broke into her grandmother's house. The pregnant young woman was disowned by her family, before giving birth to her little girl in January 2005.
When her newborn became severely ill and malnourished, Mentewab was encouraged by relatives to place her daughter, whom she called "Yemasrech", up for adoption.
"I could not look after her ..." she said. "I was so weak I agreed. I agreed that she should be put up for adoption but if I had my chance again I would have kept her.
"By taking her Angelina has saved my baby's life and she also saved my life. I will always be very grateful to her for that."
At the time of the adoption, which was handled by The Wide Horizons For Children agency, Jolie was reportedly told that Mentewab had died of AIDS. In an interview with CNN in 2006, Jolie described Zahara as an "AIDS orphan", and noted that when she adopted the newborn, doctors held fears that she might have been HIV positive.
The lie, which Mentewab blames on a "Mr Fix-It" who handled the adoption process, still angers her to this day.
And while the mum is adamant that she doesn't want custody of Zahara, noting that she is "barely surviving", she does want to be part of her life.
"Angelina has been more of a mother to her than I have ever been. She has been with her since she was a baby, but that does not mean I do not miss her." Sharing that she thinks about her little girl every day, Mentewab added that she longs to be able to celebrate Zahara's birthday with her - and to have regular contact.
"I would like Zahara to know she has a mother who loves her as much as Angelina."
"I know her life is with Angelina is in another country and she speaks another language than me," she said.
" We all die sometime and before I die I would like her to know about me and that she has family here in Ethiopia. I would ask Angelina to let me speak with her. I do not think it is too much to ask."
Describing that she would love to see her daughter's face, Mentewab added that her "heart bursts" with pride at the beautiful woman Zahara has grown into. And while she hasn't spoken to her daughter since giving her up 12 years ago, the proud mum likes looking at photos of her on her mobile phone.
She admits, however, that doing so is bittersweet.
"I am very happy looking at her progress and see her grow up, but there is also much sadness as I know I am missing out on this."
Aware of the current and bitter divorce proceedings between Jolie and her husband and partner of 11 years, Brad Pitt, Mentewab added that she wants Zahara to remain with her adopted mum.
"I want my daughter to stay with Angelina," she said. "She is a good mother and all children should stay with their mother."
"I do not know who is in the right and who is in the wrong. It is very sad when a marriage breaks up, but I known they will be thinking about their children."
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