Orphan Crisis in Ethiopia

Help by clicking here.Last week the Ethiopian Ministry of Women’s, Children's, and Youth Affairs announced their intention to reduce inter-country adoptions by 90% beginning March 10, 2011.  This plan is a gross over-reaction to isolated instances of corruption and abuse within the adoption system.

Currently, there are 5.5 million orphans in Ethiopia; largely a result of poverty and AIDS.  This act by MOWA will cause orphans to languish in institutions for as long as 7 years.  Almost 1000 orphans with prospective adoptive parents are on the court docket, but will now see a delay of at least year before getting a court hearing.

This news just breaks my heart.   I feel so fortunate to have our son, Abraham.  I can’t imagine our lives without him.  I can’t imagine him spending the first 7 years of his life in an orphanage.  He would be such a different child if that had been the case.  But, now so many orphans will have to wait to be united with their forever families.  I believe the full weight of this tragedy is yet to come.

The Joint Council on International Children’s Services is petitioning the Ethiopian Government to reconsider its plan and to work with governments and agencies to rid corruption while allowing international adoptions to continue at the rate it has been.  Please sign this petition.