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Ethiopia Adoption

Ethiopia Fast Facts:

  • 2009 adoptions: 2,277 children
  • Age/Gender: 53% Female, 34% under 1 year of age, 39% 1 to 4 years of age, in 2008.
  • Estimated Total Cost: $20,000 to $25,000
  • Profile: 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: Couples who have been married for at least 5 years are preferred. Single women are no longer routinely being accepted, and single men cannot adopt.
  • 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 6 to 12 months from completion of dossier to referral.

Ethiopia Adoption Directory

Find an adoption agency placing children from Ethiopia in your state:

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.

Ethiopia is one of the few countries from which international adoption is on the rise. 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. Ethiopia is not a member of the Hague Adoption Convention.

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.

Helpful articles from Adoptive Families magazine

  • AF interviews Melissa Fay Greene
    The author of There Is No Me Without You: One Woman's Odyssey to Rescue Africa's Children talks about the AIDS scourge in Africa, and more.
  • My Rockin' Ethiopian Sons
    When my husband and I dreamed of raising bilingual children, we had no idea that one of their languages would be rock and roll.
  • On the Outside, Looking In
    Phil Bertelson, an award-winning filmmaker and transracial adoptee, explores issues of racism and transracial adoption in an interview with AF.
  • My Ethiopian Daughters
    "My challenge is to balance my daughters' pride in their heritage with learning about the history of Africans in America."
  • Cornrows, French Braids, and Life
    As a white mom learns about her black child's hair, both come of age.

Helpful Books for Ethiopia Adopters

Helpful Websites for Ethiopia Adopters