On Orphanages

During my three days in Addis Ababa, I spent time visiting eight or so orphanages, bringing donations, speaking with people and just generally trying to get a feel for adoptions in Ethiopia. My time was limited so by no means did I get the full range of experiences or talk with enough people but my days there were pretty full so I feel I have developed at least a bit of insight.

There are many, many orphanages in Addis that range from relatively well-funded to dirt poor. They have varying degrees of standards and sanitation. City water and sewer is available in some locations but often the water doesn't work and people have to bring in water in cans. Other places have open sewage trenches outside the gates and no running water.

Apparently many orphanages do not have a sign out front because people are known to drop kids at the front gate even though the orphanage is at capacity. And before you get all judgemental about it, you have to understand that people there are typically very, very poor. They love their children and it is only desperation, death or illness that leads them to give up their kids. I happened to witness a relinquishment at one orphanage and I can't believe how many tears were shed. The nun had dry eyes and I could tell this was a regular occurrence and that she must have had to steel her heart many years ago. Yet I could also tell she really cared and in fact took in a child who was very sick with AIDS even though it was against policy.

I also visited AHOPE, an orphanage for HIV+ kids. I came lugging a fifty pound box of donations and hoping to spend some time with the kids. Unfortunately, I showed up on a weekend when none of the management was there so I basically just dropped off the box and didn't get a chance to meet the kids. When I go next, I'll make a point to arrive during the week since I have heard it is a wonderful place.

I visited one place that had lovely murals painted on the walls of the infant rooms and seemed very cheery. I heard it was funded by the Dutch and is now run by a local Ethiopian who works with eleven or so different adoption agencies. There were scads and scads of kids running around what looked to be a five room house. Since I can't legally show pictures of the children, these are the shoes of apx. fifty kids that are inside gathered around an old TV set watching a school lesson on the VCR.


I went to another orphanage that was out in the country. It happened to be near a region that was called Clean Air (in Amharic of course). I found this quite funny since it is also the location of the public dump. Luckily the orphanage was nowhere near the dump but happened to be on large grounds with views of rolling hills. They had their own dairy that produced milk and cheese for their consumption as well as to sell.



The luckier children at the orphanages that are well funded are neat and clean with matching outfits and neatly braided or trimmed hair. The unlucky ones probably haven't had baths in days, wear a hodgepodge of dirty and ripped clothes and have crazy hair. But there is one common theme that I noticed; the children all seemed to be happy despite their circumstances and to meet a sullen or cranky kid was the strong exception. At every orphanage, I met some really, really great kids. And if it weren't for Matt keeping me in check, I probably would have signed on to adopt several more right then and there.

I'll save that for the next trip. :-)