InterCountry Adoptee Voices (ICAV)

 Beti Skehill, born in Ethiopia and adopted to Australia, co-founder of Ethiopian Adult Adoptees in Australia group, former ICAV VIC Representative.

Returning to your birth country can be incredibly daunting especially as an adult adoptee who doesn’t speak the language. For many years, I avoided returning to Ethiopia because I was anxious about navigating the country on my own, the emotional weight of the experience, and concerns around safety and the unknown prevented me from returning for 11 years.

Last year, everything changed when I learned about Emaye Adoptees Home in Addis Ababa. The house was originally funded by the French government but this stopped in 2023. Since then the house continues to be run by Rebecca, an Ethiopian adoptee and licensed psychologist based in France, alongside Biruk, a local Ethiopian. Knowing it is run by people who truly understand the adoptee and Ethiopian experience immediately made me feel hopeful and relieved.

At the time, I didn’t know any other Australian Ethiopian adoptees who had stayed there, but I decided to reach out via Instagram. That single step gave me the confidence to book my flight. I also reached out in my Facebook group, Ethiopian Adult Adoptees in Australia, and ended up connecting with two other adoptees Rahel and Beza who decided to travel with me and stay at the house as well. We barely knew each other beforehand, but we now share unforgettable memories and a lot of that is thanks to Emaye Adoptees Home.

From the moment I arrived, Emaye Adoptees Home made me feel safe, supported and understood. I learned how to navigate daily life in Ethiopia from payment systems to transportation and even picked up parts of the Amharic language through board games, dance nights, rooftop barbeques and casual conversation. Staff members like Abi work incredibly hard to ensure every guest feels comfortable and cared for, and it truly shows.