Ghana Orphanage Trafficking and Doing Due Diligence

By on 1-31-2011 in Adoption, Ghana, Trafficking

Ghana Orphanage Trafficking and Doing Due Diligence

You will always hear a lot about due diligence on this blog, because risk assessment is paramount as you enter into the international adoption process. As countries strengthen screening and approval processes in international adoption, people will turn to countries with programs that seem “easier,” such as Ghana, with fewer regulations. This latest Ghana trafficking story may be the first you have read about, but in fact we at REFORM Talk were not surprised at all to see it.

http://news.myjoyonline.com/news/201101/60207.asp

[Asempa News 1/28/11 by Samuel Nii Narku Dowuona]


“Peace and Love Orphanage was rocked by child to child abuse due to adult negligence; massive and chilling child abuses by caregivers at Osu Children’s Home were caught on tape a few months back, and the latest is child trafficking at Hohoe Christian Orphanage. “

Ghana Trafficking
To help understand adoption in Ghana, you first must recognize where trafficking occurs from. Like other countries, orphanages serve as one of the “fronts.”

Statistics for Ghana were described a few months ago. “OrphanAid Africa is aware of the existence of 148 orphanages in Ghana, and has data on children living in 95 of these orphanages. Approximately 85%, of the children in orphanages in Ghana are not orphans and have living family.”

This organization actually changed the focus of their mission in 2005 to support and re-settling children with their families after doing on-the-ground due diligence.

http://www.ameyawdebrah.com/2010/09/07/orphanaid-africa-speaks-out-on-anas-aremeyaws-report-on-orphanages-in-ghana/

[Sep 7, 2010 Ameya Debrah]

Agencies
Part of due diligence is assessing the quality of the adoption agency. Unlike when you are researching consumer product companies, the length of time an agency has been in business is NOT always an indicator of its quality. Many agencies move to new countries after dashing out of previous ones, leaving behind the victims (children and families) of the trail of corruption. A quick search of who is operating in Ghana right now reveals at least these the following agencies are setting up operations or already are in operation:

  • Children’s House International
  • Life’s Vision International
  • One World Adoptions
  • Wasatch International Adoptions
  • Adoption Advocates International
  • Adoption Ark
  • About a Child
Orphanage and Agency Due Diligence Tips:
  • Before signing a contract, ask the potential agency about which orphanage the agency is working with. Then, do an internet search on the name. Many times agency websites do not reveal where they are working.
  • Take the time to learn what countries these agencies have previously been in and see how they operated. This will give you one piece of the puzzle. A good place to start is to go to http://poundpuplegacy.org/. Plug in the name of the agency and facilitator and US personnel into their search engine and see what connections the search brings up. A second place to go is Schuster Institute at Brandies University and search on agency names, countries and people http://www.brandeis.edu/investigate/gender/adoption/index.html
Hohoe Orphanage, Social Media and Fundraising
 The orphanage currently in question is the Hohoe Orphanage. It was established in 2003. Independent Volunteer describes this orphanage as caring ”for approximately 90 children, 40 of whom are housed in the recently completed orphanage/school, the rest are cared for in a day care situation.”
Many of these orphanages rely on foreign aid and social media is the new way that they are advertising their cause.
Fundraising tip: Consult Guidestar charity check at http://www2.guidestar.org/ before “friending” an organization and unwittingly spreading the word of a questionable charity.
The orphanage website no longer is in operation but as late as December 5, 2010 they were advertising for child sponsoring. They still have an open Facebook group. In fact, Orphans Heroes, a nonprofit out of Bedford Hills, NY just donated a library in December 2010 to them. Orphan’s Heroes also conducted a swing-set fundraiser in August 2009 through Facebook.
Other recent stories
Lastly, it is helpful to look at the history of adoptions with other countries in your due diligence. Canada has had some recent issues with Ghanian adoptions.
The defunct Imagine Adoptions was involved in Ghana.
[CTV Toronto 7/20/09]
Canadians were delayed in their adoption of twin boys due to an invalid death certificate.
[CP 3/6/10 By Steve Mertl]
REFORM Puzzle Piece
Trafficking2

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