Woman crowdfunds $33,000 to adopt orphaned boy who calls her 'mum'

A 25-year-old woman has raised $33,000 through a crowdfunding campaign to adopt a toddler who was orphaned while she was volunteering in Africa.

Emilie Larter told the BBC she first met 'Adam' when he was just five days old. He, and his six brothers and sisters, had lost their mother during the birth.

The little bub had been placed in the charity's care after his mother's funeral. She had died before she could feed or name him.

"We took him in and I became the little one's sole carer", she told the news site after raising $26,000 over her target since December last year.

"The sleepless nights were down to me, but they were no bother. I felt privileged to do it."

"I didn't do much but never a day went by where I was bored", she added. "I could sit and watch him for hours."

Larter returned home to the UK and would visit Adam as much as she could around her teaching job, but she missed him too much not to return to Uganda.

Now, two and half years after heading back to Africa to parent the little boy full-time, she has crowdfunded enough money to formally adopt him.

Larter says she wants to take Adam home to Britain where they can be a real family.

"I feel like his mum already", she said. "We had such a strong bond every time I was coming out but especially now since he's been living with me.

"He calls me mum."

She said she had raised "far more than I ever thought I would" and was touched by those who had donated from all over the world.

"People have been telling me how inspiring I am and how it's lovely to read something nice", she said.

"But this is just my life."