‘For Ethiopia, the numbers of children sent in adoption climbed from a total of 262 in 2002 to more than 2520 in 2007—a tenfold expansion in five years. When you consider that the average cost to adopt in Ethiopia is around twenty thousand US dollars (the cheapest in the world) the government took in over 50 million US dollars in 2007 alone.

About 3,500 Ethiopian children have been adopted by American families since 1990, and of those, about 1,250 children were adopted in 2007 alone, said Hermela Kebede, director of the Ethiopian Community Center in Washington. Government officials have estimated that 4,000 will be adopted in 2008, she said.

  • In the United States international adoptions are a big business, where a large number of private international adoption agencies are paid on average $30,000 a time to find a child for hopeful parents.
  • ANDREW GEOGHEGAN: Famine, disease and war have orphaned around five million Ethiopian children. It’s not surprising then that the business of international adoptions is thriving here and Americans in particular are queuing up to adopt a child.
  • ANDREW GEOGHEGAN: At least 70 adoption agencies have set up business in Ethiopia. Almost half are unregistered, but there’s scant regulation anyway and fraud and deception are rife. Some agencies actively recruit children in a process known as harvesting.
  • ANDREW GEOGHEGAN: About 30 Ethiopian children are leaving the country every week, bound for a new home, new parents and an uncertain future.

Adoption Agencies Registered in Ethiopia- February 2008

No. Name of the Adoption Agency RegistrationNo. Date ofRegistration Name of theRepresentative Address Countryof Origin
1. Wide Horizones For Children Inc. 1041 26/03/2003 Dr. Tsegaye Berhe 52-89-8909 204181 America
2. Americans For African Adoption, Inc. 1106 3/07/2003 W/t Tigist Kebede 09 233007 America
3. Adoption Advocates International 1104 30/06/2003 Ato Samson Tesfaye 09 203390 America
4. Children’s Home Society of Minnesota 1255 30/10/2003 Ato Asenake Amanuel 45991302 228770 America
5. Dove Adoption International Inc. 1363 27/11/2003 Ato Sentayehu Getachew 09 61933 America
6. Christian World Adoption 2277 16/09/2005 Ato Dagne Gezahegne 09 86816812-29-99 America
7. The Gladney Center for Adoption 2439 6/12/2005 Ato Belayneh Tafesse 09 211764 America
8. Illien Adoptions International, Inc. 2538 30/1/2006 Ato Temesgen G/Selassie 09 208085 America
9. Adoption Association Inc. 2560 7/2/2006 Ato Getachew Werede Abitew 09 411158 America
10. West Sands Adoptions and Counseling 2512 13/01/2006 Dr. Alemayehu Tessema 09 40582409 234088 America
11. Children of African Enterprises dba Hope Adoption Agency 2630 23/03/2006 Ato Shimeliss Demissie 09 860448 America
12. America World Adoption Association 2685 25/05/2006 Mr.Ryan hanlon   America
13. Children’s House International 2686 26/05/2006 Ms. Hanna Kidane W/mariam   America
14. Adoption Avenues 2749 20/06/2006 Ato abebe Guta 09 607166 America
15. International Adoption guides Inc.(IAG) 3140 1/07/2006 Ato Haile Ayalneh America
16. All god’s International Inc. 2959 18/12/2006 w/ro Almaz Asresahin 09 397594 America
17. Bethany Christian Services 3047 28/03/2007 Ato Milkiyas Karato America
18. Children’s House International 3055 03/04/2007 Ato Tsegaye Fesseha 0911 303338 America
19. Bunckner Adoption & Maternity service Inc. 3193 4/2007 Mr. Jobir Amanuel 0116621051 America
20. Better future Adoption service 3136 4/06/2007 Mr. Jobir Amanuel 0911 427630 America
21. International Adoption Net 3147 08/06/2007 Ato Abebe Bayou 0911 427630 America
22. Celebrate children Tnternational Inc. 3345 Dec. 10/2007 Ato dereje Yeshidinber   America