AKTUELL ÄTHIOPIEN
16 February 2007
AKTUELL ÄTHIOPIEN
Dear Ladies and gentlemen, dear colleagues and friends,
"Eltern für Afrika" is a charitable organization (state-recognized in Germany and Ethiopia) which resumed its work in October 2005. Several years of work to reduce the poverty of children and young mothers within the framework of the help project MM-Africachild e.V. in Ethiopia, combined with the knowledge about the enormous social need of African orphans, brought about the foundation of the organization.
According to the UNICEF-study "Africa's Orphaned Generations UNICEF, Nov. 2003" 20 million African children shall become orphans only because of Aids. African children are orphans also because of poverty, hunger and war.
Already nowadays more than 11 million children are without parents.
The extent of this crisis in orphans overtaxes the traditional solidarity community consisting of relatives and the village community and also overtaxes the African countries and governments in their endeavours to develop democratically and socially. Too many children are in need. This incomprehensible situation has caused us to contribute through social help projects in Ethiopia to the reduction of this need of children and young mothers.
Apart from the domestic help, which is of prime importance, "Eltern für Afrika e.V." sees in the international adoption a very specific and individual possibility to help. The chance is based on the total relief since not only the traditional solidarity communities can give off the charge of the suffering children. Also the African society has the possibility for growth and development in order to manage crises in the long run.
Our work is based on the "Hague Convention" on protection of children and co-operation in the field of "inter-country adoptions". This is also applicable for the co-operation with the countries which do not belong to the undersigned states of the convention.
We consider the legal basis of Ethiopia as unrestrictedly decisive and are in close co-operation with the authorities in charge.
"Eltern für Afrika e.V." maintains an orphanage in Addis Abeba where orphans in need are assembled. The lodging in the orphanage serves the children being taken first care, their care and their becoming healthy. If the possibilities of the national adoption or guardianship are not successful, an international adoption shall be prepared.
If a humane life of the children in their country of origin is not possible and if the children have been declared abandoned by a social authority of their country of origin or if they are orphans, the child's right to warmth and security within a family can be followed by the search for a suitable adoptive family.
Also abroad the rights of the child and of the families must be maintained.
The authorities in the country of origin clarify whether the international adoption provides suitable life perspectives to the child in its personal situation. The placement of a child for the adoption into a foreign country is the last measure if the child can not stay in its original family or if no suitable adoptive or foster family can be found in the home country.
The decision on which child can be placed in which adoptive family is made by the Ethiopian Ministry of Social Affairs.
We are pedagogically and financially responsible for each Ethiopian child which is given into our care by the government.
Our acting is characterized by the wish to meet the need in Africa and by the awareness that we carry great responsibility for the children entrusted in us. The aim of our endeavours is to provide a life worth living for these children.
Orphaned children are mostly exposed to poverty. Poverty means hunger and disease for them, often also the death. For their healthy development children need to a high extent love, security, warmth and reliability.
The children must find these basic conditions in their future family.
To understand a child from Africa in its development requests from the German applicants an intensive dealing with the Ethiopian culture.
Interested parents are informed by us specifically about the country and the people. Also a stay in the country is a prerequisite in this connection in order to sensitize the understanding for the culture from which the children originate.
The adoption proceeding is accompanied by us in three phases. The first phasis includes information, counselling and preparation. Besides a preparatory seminar takes place in which topical data and Ethiopia's specific situation are conveyed.
In the second phasis the social-pedagogical assessment takes place. Here at least two further conversations and one home visit take place. After that we make up a social report about the applicants' aptitude as adoptive parents.
The third phasis is the carrying out of the adoption. The Ethiopian Ministry of Social Affairs proposes a child. At the same time the documents of the applicants from Germany are checked. The adoptive parents stay for at least 14 days in Ethiopia, get to know the child there and are accompanied by our employee to the court hearing.
Also after the effected adoption we are in close contact with the adoptive family.
During the first three years after the adoption the parents have to make up at least 6 development reports about the child which are passed on to Ethiopia. Thus there is the possibility of checking the well-being of the African children which is the most important goal.
The employees of the Ministry of Social Affairs and of the Social and Civil Affairs Bureau as well as the employees of other non-governmental organizations are cordially invited to participate in our social work. We are looking forward to welcoming them as guests not only in ADDIS ABEBA, but also in Germany at specialist events and hope for a productive exchange.
Addis Abeba on the occasion of the opening of the orphanage and the headquarter of Eltern für Afrika e.v.
Raimund Marz-Deibele
Director
Awgichew Ergette
Country representative
Dear Ladies and gentlemen, dear colleagues and friends,
"Eltern für Afrika" is a charitable organization (state-recognized in Germany and Ethiopia) which resumed its work in October 2005. Several years of work to reduce the poverty of children and young mothers within the framework of the help project MM-Africachild e.V. in Ethiopia, combined with the knowledge about the enormous social need of African orphans, brought about the foundation of the organization.
According to the UNICEF-study "Africa's Orphaned Generations UNICEF, Nov. 2003" 20 million African children shall become orphans only because of Aids. African children are orphans also because of poverty, hunger and war.
Already nowadays more than 11 million children are without parents.
The extent of this crisis in orphans overtaxes the traditional solidarity community consisting of relatives and the village community and also overtaxes the African countries and governments in their endeavours to develop democratically and socially. Too many children are in need. This incomprehensible situation has caused us to contribute through social help projects in Ethiopia to the reduction of this need of children and young mothers.
Apart from the domestic help, which is of prime importance, "Eltern für Afrika e.V." sees in the international adoption a very specific and individual possibility to help. The chance is based on the total relief since not only the traditional solidarity communities can give off the charge of the suffering children. Also the African society has the possibility for growth and development in order to manage crises in the long run.
Our work is based on the "Hague Convention" on protection of children and co-operation in the field of "inter-country adoptions". This is also applicable for the co-operation with the countries which do not belong to the undersigned states of the convention.
We consider the legal basis of Ethiopia as unrestrictedly decisive and are in close co-operation with the authorities in charge.
"Eltern für Afrika e.V." maintains an orphanage in Addis Abeba where orphans in need are assembled. The lodging in the orphanage serves the children being taken first care, their care and their becoming healthy. If the possibilities of the national adoption or guardianship are not successful, an international adoption shall be prepared.
If a humane life of the children in their country of origin is not possible and if the children have been declared abandoned by a social authority of their country of origin or if they are orphans, the child's right to warmth and security within a family can be followed by the search for a suitable adoptive family.
Also abroad the rights of the child and of the families must be maintained.
The authorities in the country of origin clarify whether the international adoption provides suitable life perspectives to the child in its personal situation. The placement of a child for the adoption into a foreign country is the last measure if the child can not stay in its original family or if no suitable adoptive or foster family can be found in the home country.
The decision on which child can be placed in which adoptive family is made by the Ethiopian Ministry of Social Affairs.
We are pedagogically and financially responsible for each Ethiopian child which is given into our care by the government.
Our acting is characterized by the wish to meet the need in Africa and by the awareness that we carry great responsibility for the children entrusted in us. The aim of our endeavours is to provide a life worth living for these children.
Orphaned children are mostly exposed to poverty. Poverty means hunger and disease for them, often also the death. For their healthy development children need to a high extent love, security, warmth and reliability.
The children must find these basic conditions in their future family.
To understand a child from Africa in its development requests from the German applicants an intensive dealing with the Ethiopian culture.
Interested parents are informed by us specifically about the country and the people. Also a stay in the country is a prerequisite in this connection in order to sensitize the understanding for the culture from which the children originate.
The adoption proceeding is accompanied by us in three phases. The first phasis includes information, counselling and preparation. Besides a preparatory seminar takes place in which topical data and Ethiopia's specific situation are conveyed.
In the second phasis the social-pedagogical assessment takes place. Here at least two further conversations and one home visit take place. After that we make up a social report about the applicants' aptitude as adoptive parents.
The third phasis is the carrying out of the adoption. The Ethiopian Ministry of Social Affairs proposes a child. At the same time the documents of the applicants from Germany are checked. The adoptive parents stay for at least 14 days in Ethiopia, get to know the child there and are accompanied by our employee to the court hearing.
Also after the effected adoption we are in close contact with the adoptive family.
During the first three years after the adoption the parents have to make up at least 6 development reports about the child which are passed on to Ethiopia. Thus there is the possibility of checking the well-being of the African children which is the most important goal.
The employees of the Ministry of Social Affairs and of the Social and Civil Affairs Bureau as well as the employees of other non-governmental organizations are cordially invited to participate in our social work. We are looking forward to welcoming them as guests not only in ADDIS ABEBA, but also in Germany at specialist events and hope for a productive exchange.
Addis Abeba on the occasion of the opening of the orphanage and the headquarter of Eltern für Afrika e.v.
Raimund Marz-Deibele
Director
Awgichew Ergette
Country representative