Ethiopia Adoption
![[Ethiopia Adoption]](/images/ethiopiaadoption.jpg)
An Overview
Ethiopia, a land of rugged beauty, is the oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world. The only African country that was not colonized by a European power, it is known as "the land of a thousand smiles." The ancient home of the Queen of Sheba, it was left bankrupt by years of civil war. Drought, floods, famine, and disease have pushed many thousands of Ethiopian children into institutions, because their parents are either no longer living or are unable to care for them.
A number of U.S.-based adoption agencies have been authorized by the Government of Ethiopia to provide adoption services, and several others pending accreditation. The government office responsible for adoptions in Ethiopia is the Adoption Team in the Children and Youth Affairs Office (CYAO), which is under the Ministry of Women's Affairs (MOWA). Private adoptions are permitted in Ethiopia, but discouraged by MOWA because they take place under local adoption rules and may bypass the process and protections put in place by the Government of Ethiopia relating to international adoption.
Ethiopia requires families to submit post-placement reports on their children at 3 months, 6 months, and one year after the adoption. Yearly reports until the child turns 18 are also required.
Fast Facts:
Number of Adoptions from Ethiopia:
- 2007: 1,255
- 2006: 732
- 2005: 441
- 2004: 289
- 2003: 135
- 2002: 105
- 2001: 158
- 2000: 95
Profile of Children Adopted From Ethiopia in 2006
Source: INS Immigration Statistics
50% Female
29% under 1 year of age
34% 1 – 4 years of age
Estimated Cost: $20,000 to $25,000
Profile of Children: Both boys and girls, infants through school age, and sibling groups are available.
Parent Ages: Although there is no statutory maximum age limit on the adoptive parent, Ethiopian practice is to limit the age of the parent to no more than 40 years greater than that of the adopted child. (This is flexible for older or special-needs children.)
Family Status: Although the Ethiopian government prefers to place children with married couples who have been married for at least five years or singles older than 25, it has, on occasion, approved adoptions by parents who don't meet either of these criteria.
Travel: One or both adopting parents may choose to travel or may have their child escorted. The in-country stay in Ethiopia is generally about one week long.
Timeline: Approximately 12 to 24 months from completion of dossier to referral, though process may be faster for children older than 1.
Helpful articles from Adoptive Families magazine:
- AF interviews Melissa Fay Greene, author of There Is No Me Without You: One Woman's Odyssey to Rescue Africa's Children
- A Million Children Waiting, by Melissa Fay Greene
- A Home for Helen, by Melissa Fay Greene
- My Ethiopian Daughters, by Rita Radostitz
- Cornrows, French Braids, and Life, by Annie Kassof
- My Rockin' Ethiopian Sons, by Colleen Wells
- Transracial Adoption: A History in Black & White, by Phil Bertelsen
- Raising a Child of Another Race, by Jana Wolff
To get started in Ethiopia adoption:
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