All God’s Children International Closes Ethiopia Program

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“Dear families,

This is one of the most difficult updates that All God’s Children International has ever had to communicate. As an organization built on the principle of family, we have worked tirelessly to continue to provide loving families for orphaned children living in Ethiopia. That is why it is with a heavy heart that we inform you today that AGCI has made the difficult decision to close our adoption program in Ethiopia. Below we will share information regarding Kiersten’s recent trip and the cumulative information which led us to this difficult decision. In addition, we will provide options for your next steps as you seek God’s guidance for your family’s adoption journey.

Since 2007 AGCI has had the privilege of serving some of the most vulnerable children and families in the country of Ethiopia through our family preservation, orphan care and adoption programs. AGCI was able to help over 600 orphaned children unite with a loving family. AGCI worked with over 25 orphanages throughout nearly every region of Ethiopia. Sadly, inter-country adoptions in Ethiopia have continued to decrease in number. In addition, we have continued to witness first hand process changes and increased corruption that has had a devastating effect on orphans in Ethiopia. After years of working to navigate the Ethiopia adoption system, we believe we have come to a place where we have exhausted all viable options to place children and complete the adoption process in an ethical manner. It is especially difficult to reconcile this because the orphan crisis in Ethiopia continues. Children remain in institutions and families have been waiting to bring a child into their loving family. However, without confidence that we can practice ethical adoptions in the country we cannot, in good faith, continue to keep Ethiopia open as an active program.

AGCI Assessment Trip:

Kiersten Luginbill recently returned to the U.S. after spending three weeks in Ethiopia. While in Ethiopia, Kiersten met with orphanage directors, partners and officials at regional and federal MOWA to assess the viability of AGCI’s ability to provide adoption services, particularly in two regions that remain open to process adoptions, Gambella and Benishangul.

While in Gambella, Kiersten confirmed that there continue to be discrepancies in the relinquishment paperwork for children. The paperwork preparation process in rural areas of Gambella remains inconsistent at best. Although additional children have been welcomed into care at Foten Children’s Center, their paperwork continues to be incomplete or inconsistent. This means they cannot be matched with a family. All of the children in the home are 5 years or older. Challenges also continue to clear cases through the regional MOWA office in Gambella. Corruption remains evident in the existing orphanages and the release of children’s paperwork remains a bargaining tool for many orphanage directors to request significant money in exchange for providing children for adoption. AGCI staff also learned that the region does not intend to license any new orphanages in the region. This is inline with the regional government’s agenda to focus on family preservation and community care as opposed to adoption.

AGCI’s remaining partner in Benishangul has placed only a few children in the past two years of operation in the region. Relinquishment and abandonment paperwork for children is routed through multiple government agencies and can take many months and possibly years to complete. Few, if any, US agencies are able to operate in the region at this time and only European agencies remain. As seen in the past, the Benishangul region remains primarily focused on alternate care options for children outside of inter-country adoption. Although open to adoption, they insist it remains the last option they desire for children in the region.

The future of adoption in Ethiopia remains unclear and continues to be unstable. There are no new opportunities for AGCI to pursue alternate relationships or avenues to build a sustainable partnership to offer inter-country adoption services. Beyond this, Kiersten was informed in multiple meetings with government officials around the country that, although the policy in Ethiopia allows inter-country adoption to continue, drastic measures are being taken to shift the practice of child support in Ethiopia to in-country care options with the goal of phasing out inter-country adoption.

Based on the conditions and lack of opportunity to provide ethical adoption services in Ethiopia, AGCI is sad to have to cease adoption services and close our adoption program in the country. This situation continues to be incredibly hard for us to accept knowing the great needs of orphaned children in Ethiopia that remains evident in every region of the country. For this reason, we remain committed to our orphan care and development programs in the country and hope to continue to grow and expand our services to orphaned children outside of adoption.

Next Steps:

AGCI continues to offer the option to transfer programs. AGCI will transfer any agency fees paid and waive agency fees for a new program. If transferring programs for a waiting child, a grant will be applied towards the orphan care fees. AGCI program directors and Inquiry staff are available to discuss open adoption programs and specific options for your family.

Any transfer must be initiated via a formal application by August 30th, 2015.

Please keep in mind that every adoption program has a unique cost structure. After applying the agency fee waiver, some programs may have overall fees comparable to completing an adoption in the Ethiopian program. The total fees in at least one program are estimated to result in lower total costs. You may contact our accountant, Hayley Patton, at hpatton@allgodschildren.org if you would like more information about fee schedules or comparing costs for alternate programs.

Should you choose not to transfer to another program before August 30th 2015, please be aware that the terms of your current contract will remain in effect and all fees will be non-refundable and non-transferable. If you have any questions regarding the status of your account, please contact Hayley.

Termination contracts will be emailed to all families who remain in the program on August 30th, 2015. AGCI asks that you sign and return the termination contract within 5 business days. If the contract is not signed or returned, the contract will automatically terminate after 30 days, on September 30, 2015.

If now is not the right time to begin a new adoption, but you would like to pursue this within a year, AGCI will apply a credit of $3,000 towards agency fees due at orientation if your family contracts and begins a new program between October 1, 2015 and September 30, 2016.

Please note, program availability does change and some programs have a limited capacity. At this time AGCI does not anticipate that any new programs will be opened in 2016.

AGCI is devastated at the situation in Ethiopia and our inability to provide adoption opportunities for children. While inter-country adoption is no longer an option for AGCI, it does remain clear that orphans still live in destitute situations. AGCI is committed to reaching and serving these children through our sponsorship program, orphan care projects and the AGCI Hannah’s Hope model of care which we hope to begin implementing this year in government orphanages to elevate the care for the children left behind.

We appreciate your ongoing commitment to open your heart to an orphan in need. Although it is clear that it will be an alternate path from the original plan, it is our greatest hope that you continue your journey and that we can partner with you. We understand this situation is extremely difficult and we appreciate the opportunity to work with you as you choose what is best for your family. We have attempted to personally contact you, however, please feel free to contact us at any time for questions, concerns or a listening ear.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you,
Kate”

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