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Interview Etanesh Befekadu

Last month, we interviewed Miss. Etanesh Befekadu, the Manager of

Bethzatha Children’s Home Associations branch orphanage in Jimma, Ethiopia. Here, she shared with us her story of how she came to her calling & how she is taking part in saving orphans from distress.

My name is Etanesh Befekadu. I live in Jimma. I came to work for Bethzatha in a very amazing and wonderful way. I came across the opportunity at a time that I so desperately sought for what I can do to alleviate my stress. I am a teacher at a rural public school. Every penny I bring home from working is spent on transportI pay monthly for my carand various other dire necessities. The income I receive from my day job is not enough to cover it all. I have children that do not have a fathertheir father died and I am now raising them alone. Since the income I bring home is very meager, I was contemplating what I could do [as additional work] when, it so happened that my brothers and sisters in Addis Ababa invited me to my brother?s wedding. I was not happy to go to the weddingmy income wouldn?t allow for me to what I wanted to do for my brother?s wedding celebration. Even if he didn?t want anything from me, because I didn?t have the funds to even go, I decided not to go.

It just so happened that my brother mentioned that he had a sister that lived in Jimma to his

Post-quake snag slows adoptions from Haiti

Post-quake snag slows adoptions from Haiti

by JIM DOUGLAS / WFAA-TV

Posted on March 30, 2010 at 5:48 PM

Updated Tuesday, Mar 30 at 5:48 PM

Related:

Vittoria del Governo romeno sui bambini abbandonati

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Data: 29-03-10

Vittoria del Governo romeno sui bambini abbandonati

“Siamo un gruppo di ragazzi che hanno vissuto negli orfanotrofi di Brasov, in Romania. Vogliamo raccontarvi del nostro passato ma prima di tutto ringraziarvi per la petizione sulla riapertura delle adozioni internazionali in Romania. Abbiamo sofferto molto tra le mura di quegli istituti dove botte e abusi erano all’ordine del giorno. Molti di noi avrebbero potuto essere adottati, molti di noi si sarebbero potuti salvare ma il Governo rumeno non ci ha mai consentito di avere una famiglia. Dopo avere compiuto 18 anni, ciascuno di noi ha dovuto lasciare l’orfanotrofio. Ci siamo ritrovati soli, a vivere in strada. Questo succederà anche a tutti i minori della Romania se l’adozione internazionale non sarà aperta.”

Questa la lettera ricevuta qualche giorno dopo la chiusura della Petizione attraverso cui Ai.Bi. chiedeva al Parlamento Europeo la riapertura delle Adozioni Internazionali in Romania.

Children for Sale: Trafficking by Foreign Embassies

Children for Sale: Trafficking by Foreign Embassies

MARCH 29, 2010 NO COMMENT

Karachi: Solid evidences have revealed that foreign embassies in Pakistan are involved in illegal child trafficking. NGOs sponsored and supported by foreign embassies are adopting new born Pakistani Muslim children and sending them abroad, whereas local welfare organizations are also involved in the crime. According to Pakistan’s law, non-Muslims cannot adopt Muslims.

However, reality speaks differently. A foreign couple employed in a foreign embassy holding Passport No. 19124346 and 19124345 adopted a 6 month old child Zara Bilquis from a renowned welfare organization. The welfare organization permitted that the child can be migrated to another country after adoption.

Passport copies of foreigners involved in child trafficking

Passport copies of foreigners involved in child trafficking

However, serious mismatching of facts was revealed when the documents where reviewed in detail. The documents state that the child was adopted by the couple on August 21, 2009, whereas, birth certificate of the child K00680496 was prepared a month earlier on July 27, 2009 and the name of couple was already mentioned as parents instead of original parents.

An important source relating to the case told The Eastern Tribune that in the last two decades, more than 40,000 Muslim children have been smuggled from Pakistan. The source claimed that these children are converted to Christianity and can be used against the interest of Pakistan. Several incidents of child trafficking by foreign NGOs were also reported right after the 2005 earthquake in the northern areas of Pakistan. “These NGOs take advantage of the IR-4 visa classification of the United States,” the source claimed.

The IR-4 visa classification signifies that the orphan will be adopted by the petitioner after being admitted to the United States.  In order to issue an IR-4 visa, the consular officer must be satisfied that the petitioner both intends to adopt the beneficiary in the U.S. and is legally able to do so.  The petitioner must have secured permanent legal custody of the orphan under the laws of the orphan’s home country.  That custody must be sufficient to allow the child to be taken from the country and adopted abroad.  In addition, the petitioner must have fulfilled any applicable pre-adoption requirements of their home state.

However, none of the requirements were followed when these foreign NGOs adopted new born children in Pakistan and smuggled them abroad. Sources also revealed that the Government of Pakistan does not even have correct facts and figures regarding the adopted children by foreign NGOs, leave aside the violation of Pakistani and international law.

 

- Special Report by Tariq Habib

Most Adoptions From China Now Special-Needs Cases

Most Adoptions From China Now Special-Needs Cases

Challenging special-needs cases make up growing share of adoptions from China

By DAVID CRARY

The Associated Press

NEW YORK

Who's playing God?

Who's playing God?

By Tim Gavel and Jennifer Andrew

Updated 1 hour 43 minutes ago

The recent spate of media attention focusing on a foreign inter-country adoption program involving Ethiopia children has led to speculation about the Ethiopian-Australian program. (AFP: Roberto Schmidt, file photo)

We're at the checkout at our local IGA, working fast because the kids have spotted the chocolates placed strategically at kid-friendly height. The woman next in line asks pleasantly, and within ear-shot of one and all, whether their 'real' parents are dead. I smile and say politely 'yes'.

Lettera shock dalla Romania:”negli istituti hanno violentato il nostro futuro.”

GOOGLE TRANSLATION

Letter from Romania shock "in institutions raped our

the future. "

Reopening the international adoptions for not condemning the children without

Romanian families to live the horror that they knew them. And 'this

Allegations in News Reports of Inappropriate Child Care at Komanski Most

Statement Allegations in News Reports of Inappropriate Child Care at Komanski Most PODGORICA, March 26th, 2010 - UNICEF expressed concern about allegations in the media of the mistreatment of children in the Komanski Most institution. UNICEF noted that while much had been achieved this decade the work remained unfinished. The allegations, as well as the publication of the CPT report, were a wakeup call to end institutionalisation of children in Montenegro. UNICEF stands ready with other international partners to support speeding up Montenegro’s efforts to bring about reform in this area. Concerning the situation in Komanski Most, UNICEF and the Government are preparing and implementing plans for the remaining ten children in the institution to be cared for within family or community settings. Individual assessments of all the children in Bijela Children’s Home and Komanski Most institutions have been conducted and individual care and treatment plans have been developed to improve their social skills and prepare them for reintegration into the family or (in the case of the children from Komanski Most) for their movement into Small Group Homes. The two Small Group homes will be built with the support of the US Embassy in Montenegro. “The US, through the US Militaries European Command, will support the children of Komanski Most by providing funds for constructing Small Group Homes in Danilovgrad. We are delighted to contribute to the establishment of a new family-type model that will support the process of reform of the child protection system in Montenegro” says Ambassador Roderick Moore. UNICEF Representative in Montenegro, Noala Skinner said it was important to make the rights and needs of the ten children the first priority. Great care and caution needed to be taken with the children to ensure their move out of Komanski Most did not endanger them. Suitably trained and adequate staffing was required, and the children needed to have access educational opportunities, including attendance in classes at appropriate Centres in Podgorica. “UNICEF is confident that the Komanski Most children will have a better future. The challenge now is to reach every child in this situation in Montenegro so this never happens again,” Skinner said. “UNICEF is working with the Government to develop a comprehensive child care system including the dismantling of institutions.” The Country Programme Action Plan 2010-2011 signed March 24 by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the UNICEF Representative aims at increasing the percentage of children and families having access to family and community-based alternatives to institutionalization. The implementation of this programme will enhance support to biological families for prevention of separation and for formal child care in line with international standards. This will be achieved through the transformation of residential institutions and the development of local capacities for provision of family support and family substitute services. An example of this is the UNICEF supported Day Care Centre for Children with disabilities in Bijelo Polje that is now being replicated across Montenegro. “UNICEF welcomes the expansion of the network of Day Care Centres in the country, and urges complete coverage, with Centres in every municipality” says the UNICEF Representative. Substantial support for child care system reform is also envisaged by the European Union which attaches specific importance to child protection (including de-institutionalization) in the accession process. “ In the case of previous enlargement of the EU, reforming the child protection system was an important milestone on the road to the European Union and it will be no less important for Montenegro" says Clive Rumbold, Acting Head of the EU Delegation to Montenegro The overarching reform is to provide assistance to families needing support to care for their children. UNICEF believes that the best environment for raising children is within a loving and supportive family. Alternative means of caring for a child should only be considered when, despite this assistance, a child’s family is unavailable and unable to care for him or her. For children who cannot be raised by their own families, an appropriate alternative family environment should be sought in preference to institutional care. This can include small group facilities. But placing a child in any kind of institution should be a last resort and for the shortest time possible. “There is much to be done to develop a continuum of child and social protection services, and UNICEF is fully committed to supporting child protection reform” says Ms. Skinner. For additional information, please contact: Ms. Jelena Perovi?, Communication Officer, UNICEF Montenegro; Phone: +382 20 224 277 Ext. 3; Fax: +382 20 224 278; Mobile: +382 69 225 315; Email: jperovic@unicef.org; Website: www.unicef.org/montenegro https://www.google.de/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=127&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CFsQFjAGOHg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.unicef.org%2Fmontenegro%2FKomanskimostStatement.doc&ei=kXsVVJKlKeXuyQOy1YGgCA&usg=AFQjCNH98PnwF_e4qTaKEQXTz7ob3yZc2A&sig2=YjMMnqRAq3czPkbggBxFoQ&bvm=bv.75097201,d.bGQ

Ethiopia revokes licences of nine charitable organizations

Ethiopia revokes licences of nine charitable organizations

APA-Addis Ababa (Ethiopia)

Ethiopia revoked the license of nine orphanages (charity organizations) who they claim to be involved in ‘illegal’ activities of child rights abuse, APA learns here on Wednesday.

The nine charity organizations have been working to adopt children for the past few years to Europe and America.

However, the office, which is in charge of registering charity organizations at the Ethiopian Ministry of Justice refused to give details as to what kind of illegal activities the organizations were involved with regards to child rights abuse.