Ethiopia
ETHIOPIA IS CURRENTLY ACCEPTING ADOPTION APPLICATIONS FROM MARRIED COUPLES FROM THE AGES OF 25 TO 50. APPLY TODAY WHILE THIS WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY IS OPEN.
Adopting from Ethiopia
This program takes ten to fourteen months to receive a child. Ethiopia adoption requires two trips to the country. All children from Ethiopia are tested for HIV, Hepatitis and TB. It is possible to adopt an HIV positive child from Ethiopia, as long as your home study approves you to do so. Otherwise, all children referred are HIV, Hepatitis and TB negative. We are placing children of all ages, including infants. We do have a waiting list at this time, for children who are HIV positive, or are older than 5 years of age. Your case is handled in country as soon as your file arrives. Referral time frames can vary depending upon your requests, and on what children are available at that time. Our current wait time for an infant referral is 6-9 months, however the time frame depends on your requests, availability and legal delays. West Sands Adoptions has agreements with six different orphanages, totaling nine homes in five different regions. This allows us to place children faster and avoid some delays in specific regions. Our staff is well trained and dedicated to this program. It is our goal to provide personal attention to all our adoptive families. If you would like more information about our program, or if you would like to discuss any questions you have with our Ethiopian Team, click here to contact our office.
Our Ethiopian Director
West Sands Adoptions Ethiopia Director, Woudneh Mulugeta, has been with our Agency since we received our license in Ethiopia in 2003. We are the 10th Agency to be licensed out of only 22 total agencies. Woudneh will take care of your adoption in country and will assist you during your travel. He will pick you up at the airport and take you to our Guest House. He will be with you at all of your appointments and is willing to take you site seeing for an additional fee. He speaks and writes very good English and is well educated. He has a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Addis Ababa. West Sands Adoptions has a high amount of respect and admiration for Woudneh. He has proven his abilities in placing these wonderful children of Ethiopia with American families for seven years.
How Children Come into Care
Children placed from Ethiopia are either abandoned, orphaned or have one or two parents that are unable to provide care for them and have relinquished their parental rights. Meeting an adoptive child’s biological parent, if that is your desire, would be considered on a case-by-case basis by our director and by Woudneh. If the arrangement is approved, it would not take place until after your Court Hearing on your first trip to Ethiopia. We understand that this meeting can be beneficial to you and your adoptive child, however, because of different circumstances related to the child and the nature of the adoption, and to obey Ethiopian law and to ensure ethical practices in your adoption, the adoption must be final before a meeting with birth parents might potentially be arranged. There is no guarantee that a meeting can be arranged.
We are confident that you will love the beautiful children and wonderful people in this unique country.We are proud to be directly licensed to conduct adoptions from Ethiopia. Please contact us directly for more information about our adoption program in Ethiopia. We also encourage you to watch our Ethiopia Adoptions Videos (A Sacred Mission and The Orphans of Ethiopia) and read about the services we provide.
About Ethiopia
Ethiopia is the oldest independent nation in Africa, a land of stunning natural beauty covering an area twice the size of Texas. It is a land of rich diversity of culture and geography. It is considered the cradle of civilization with the remains of “Lucy” dating 3.5 million years old and Homo ramidus afarensis dating 4.4 million years old. Over 80 languages are spoken, the national language being Amharic. The climate is dependent on the physical terrain and its position close to the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. Much of the year is warm and pleasant in the Addis Ababa (the capital) area where you will be staying. There are two principal seasons, rainy from June to September and dry the rest of the year. Ethiopia retains the Julian calendar and has 13 months. We use the English or Gregorian Calendar when we plan your trip.
Ethiopia has a population of over 75 million people. Its main Religions are Muslim (45 to 50%), Ethiopian Orthodox (35 to 40%), animist 12%, other 3%. Its main exports are coffee, quat, gold, leather products, live animals, and oilseeds. Per Capita GNP is US $1,000. Life expectancy is 49 years.There are 500 people for every doctor. It has been estimated that there may be as many as 2,000,000 or more orphaned children living in Ethiopia.
More Information about Ethiopia Adoptions
Please contact us directly for more information about our adoption program in Ethiopia.
At your request, West Sands Adoptions will gladly make available the following information: (a) the number of our adoption placements per year for the prior three calendar years, and the number and percentage of those placements that remain intact, are disrupted, or have been dissolved as of the time the information is provided; and (b) the number of parents who apply to adopt on a yearly basis, based on the last three calendar years. West Sands Adoptions places “Waiting Children” through China’s program of adoption for special needs and waiting children. However, we do not have our own list of waiting children at this time. Parents who apply for adoption through programs with West Sands Adoptions will not be referred a child for placement until a child becomes available through the appropriate Central Authority in the child’s country of origin.
.
