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I have been delaying writing on this topic for a very long time. It is an important one, and one I get many questions about. But it can be complicated.
First of all, adoptive families need to be aware that unless you choose an Ethiopian adoption agency that is physically located near your home, you will be actually working with at least two agencies, your homestudy agency, and your Ethiopia agency.
Many factors come into play when considering which agency to hire to do your homestudy.
1. Cost. Prices for a homestudy range anywhere from $1,000 to $3,500 for a homestudy. Some agencies include the post-placement visits into that cost and some don’t. We paid $1000 for our more recent homestudies, and then $150 for each of the three post-placement visits.
2. Experience. You want to choose a homestudy agency that has experience in writing up international homestudies. They don’t necessarily have to be Ethiopian homestudies. It is perfectly fine if an agency tells you they’ve done homestudies for China or Guatemala. They are fairly similar from country to country, and your Ethiopian agency should be willing to give your homestudy agency pointers on the specifics for Ethiopia. But I would be concerned about getting a homestudy from an agency that only does domestic homestudies. Domestic homestudies are quite different.
3. Recommendations. Absolutely ask the homestudy agency for references, and then CALL THEM. You may also want to do an internet search to see if you come up with any disgruntled clients. Don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation with an adoptive mom in the grocery store. if she seems willing to chat, tell her you’re in the early stages of adoption and ask if she has any homestudy agencies to recommend in your area. Word of mouth is the best way to find a good agency.
4. Turn around time. How fast can they complete a homestudy? If you are efficient in gathering your paperwork, some agencies can complete a homestudy in a month. Some will end up dragging it out for 6 months or longer. Ask the agency AND ask their past clients just how long that homestudy took to get done. A reasonably efficient agency should be able to get a homestudy done in 3 months or less.
Coming tomorrow: choosing your Ethiopia agency.
And for the enlightenment of new readers, could I ask some of you experienced families to weigh in and comment on your homestudy experiences?
1. How much did your homestudy cost?
2. How long did your homestudy take from start to finish?
Homestudy (including application fee) $2,150; Updates $250 each.
Ours took about a month (maybe 6 weeks). It was done about a week after our last meeting with her.
We used a homestudy agency that was a “partner” agency with our placement agency, thinking the placement agency wouldn’t have partnered with a homestudy agency they weren’t comfortable and familiar with. Well, the homestudy agency had never written a homestudy for Ethiopia, had never worked with our placement agency before, and although they had written some international studies, their main focus was foster-adopt placements. We were totally on our own when it came to filing the CIS paperwork and figuring out what to do for our readoption.
We love our social worker, but she is very slow. Our first homestudy took over five months to complete. We have been waiting about six weeks since her last visit for her to write our update. Guess I better call (again) and check on that!
We paid $2500 for our homestudy and $300 per post placement visit. We live on the west coast.
Definitely call and get references, even if it is a “partner” agency.
I think our homestudy was either $800 or $900. It took about 7 or 8 weeks to finish, but some of that was our fault. One thing that helped speed things up, was the educational preparation we had done in advance. Our social worker was very impressed with how much research we had done, and how prepared we seemed, so she only required three face-to-face visits, instead of the usual four.
Our homestudy cost $600.00 and was completed in one month. I did not realize how lucky we were to have paid so little until after joining several forums.
Background of the Orphanage center
Dear Sir Madam
The idea of founding Tsige Taddess Orphanage Center has come into reality with the child loving inherent mature of the founder, Tsige Taddess.
18 years back, the founder has brought to light her child helping activity by supporting two children one boy and one girl ,Two years later ,i.e. 16 years ago, the founder has determined to expand her welfare effort to lift up to the present level.
It is Non –Governmental, Non- Political, and Non-Profitable Non religion welfare organization.
The orphanage center officially registered with the Ministry of Justice and Disaster Prevention and preparedness Commission in 2004, our registration CERTIFICATE number is 1518.We have new idea to start INTERNATIONAL Adoption ,soon we will aply for the licence .The center of the organization is located 30 Km on the road to Desi, at place called Legedady Dam , the last stop of 44 bus.
The founder is a kind of person who is easily affected but human hardship in general and that of children in particular .She has never thought of that she would ever be a Mother of her present ‘’big family’’ of 106 children whose age fall in age category of 3 month to 18 years .48 boy’s and 58girl’s, and out of them 2 girl’s are handicap.
No Age group Male Female Total
1 0-4 2 4 6
2 5-7 8 10 18
3 8-12 17 19 36
4 13-15 12 11 23
5 16-18 9 14 23
Total 47 59 106
At the beginning as the number of the children was small, she started to full her project by the money at her disposal, but soon, her project used up all her cash and demanded for more. She sold her jewelry’s, land many other valuable assets to keep alive her project, which was found in 1990.She has also used and still using her low scale dairy farming thought its contribution is continuation becoming negligible. Although, the founder of this organization proud of many children who have pass through her project and have now become sufficient and productive citizens and that saved many children from the darkness (possibility from death).she is dreadful of imminent danger coming fast to her organization for lack of fund to keep it function unless she get an immediate and sustain financial and material to support the kids if this not happen the orphans will be in problem.
Composition of the Children
As it has been mentioned above, the child currently receiving help are 106 from the founder, she don’t have any support. The orphanage center includes the following classes.
HIV/AIDS Orphans
Deserted children (deserted by their Parma mainly due to Economic reasons)
Thrown away babies (following unwanted pregnancies, economic problem)etc.
VISION
The organization is strongly commented to see all the children under custody to become self suffice and productive citizen of Tomorrow.
Mission
To bring up all the children the best possible way, care for their health, cloth lodging, education, healthy social interaction ethical conduct, etc.
Objectives of the organization
To create, as much as possible, a comfortable like environment (HOME), which is for the children to feed them and make them mentally and physically competent citizens.
To educate them well so that they become self sufficient, productive, nation building citizens who can lead a healthy social life.
The main problem in the center is:-
Food Problem
However hard we are working, we have lost our stamina of feeding this ‘’huge family’ unless we receive urgent aid from Ethiopian people and Ethiopian Government and any charitable individuals and humanitarian organizations it is imminent that our children will continue to be malnourished, starve, and eventually our child population will disperse, sending them back to a kind of life which is worse that the one we have brought them from, lack of finance coupled with skyrocketing inflation is accelerating our problem in this respect. There for, we are badly in need of immediate help from all concerned parties and child lover people and the Government.
Lack of potable water and fuel shortage
we have no potable water and fuel for our children .At present we are providing them with unsafe water from unprotected source {river} which is delivered on donkey’s back and sold for a relatively higher price. And we are not in a sound financial position, to provide them with enough of that kind of water mentioned above. Similarly we are in a serious shortage of water; therefore, we are badly in need of urgent help. The fuel we use the cow dung and the orphans collect leafs and wood from the forest we don’t any other way to use fuel.
Housing
The children where they live is in small place on land belonging to the founder of the organization .The available living space is very small for the huge number of children it is accommodating .Thus, the children are living in a crowded and uncomfortable place Our hundred six orphan’s children are accommodated for shelter in a 12 meter by 5 meter house .Built from local materials {wood and mud} and corrugated iron roof and divided it to three for boys, girls, and infants , thanks to Oromia Regional Administration we have been granted a land of 6612m Square area. But unfortunately, we couldn’t start any constriction on the land because we don’t have money for it to build. There for we are in need of help to start built building which can be house for our children, the property will be belongs to the orphans.
Health Service
Currently, we have no health service facility, which can help to treat our children in case they fall sick. Therefore in connection with this, we need to build one health post and junior heath professional .Here also we need the immediate help of all concerned bodies to successfully accomplish our mission.
Clothing, shoes, mattress, pillows, blanket, and bed sheets
We do not have enough of the above mentioned basic needs of our children .We are looking for some one who can immediately help us in providing these materials, we cant afford them .
School
Those who reached school age go to the government school and they are doing fairly good in their education next to the afore-mentioned basic necessities need to give the proper education to our children .We are planning to construct a school on the place we received from Oromia administrator without help we can’t materialize this vital need.
Word of the founder
To Ethiopian People, Ethiopian Government and any humanitarian, charitable, individuals and organizations after God /Allah you are the only one where we can ask for help please understand the problem I face and help me let my brain and heart rest in the rest of my life.
I have try to help those kids for 18 years with out any help but now I don’t have any income who are considerate and thoughtful to those children please we need your help. Save the kids.
I am asking this help behalf of the children to all Ethiopian People, Ethiopian Government and any humanitarian, charitable, individuals and organizations to extend their hands and forward their help before the life of those children is endangered and I am hopefully confident that I will receive positive answer and all the necessary support, I would like to thanks you for your time by the name of the kids.
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world”
“Mahatma Gandhi”
It is easier than you think to make a difference. When we all work together, even the little things we do can have a
significant impact in helping the orphan child.
Your donation will help us provide food, shelter, clothing and basic necessities to orphans. Your support will help us to provide emergency assistance, direct services, and permanent housing to over 106 of our most disadvantaged orphans.
Volunteers, donors, humanitarian organization and government non-profitable NGO child lover are most welcome to our orphanage center
E-MAIL t_t_o_c@yahoo.com
WWW. ETHIOORPHANAGECENTER.PICZO.COM
Mob-0911-403492 W/ro Tsiga Taddess, 0911 604687Dawit 0911 249079 {Abera English speaking}
p.o.box 41238 Addis Ababa Ethiopia
With best regards
W/ro Tsige Tadesse
We are beginning the process of adopting from Ethiopia, however, we have only been married for a year and a half. Some agencies have told us we should have no problems. Some have told us we must be married for two years. I know the Ethiopian government has a preference that couples be married for 5 years, but is there a government requirement that you be married for 2 years, or is this an agency requirement?