Capital

What is your opinion about adoption?

“It would be better if people adopt with in their own race. Children start to ask about their identity when they find out they are different from the rest of the family.”
Metasebia
“It is a great opportunity for the child to be adopted. At least the child’s destiny in terms of material comfort will be assured.”
Wasihun
“I want to adopt a baby, but I really do not know how to get a legal contract. Rather than letting our children go abroad to lose their identity, let’s keep them safe here and give them love.”
Seble
“Children will grow in a safe environment, and will have all the love and care they deserve.”
Jerry
“Giving for adoption and selling for adoption are two different things. How can one think of one’s baby as a means of income ?.”
Birhanu
“The law should be firm about this. People are selling out their children. I can not blame them .It is the system that forces them to act in such a way.”
Netsanet
“Adoption is helping others. It is difficult for many to bring up a child with all the necessities of life.”
Fethia

Fostering support

The Holy Bible, tells the story of a Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan. He was lame in both feet and lonely by the time King David adopted him. “And David said unto him. Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually …Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land of him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master’s son may have food to eat; But Mephibosheth the master’s son shall eat bread always at my table…
The practice of adoption is an intrinsically natural characteristic that is reflected across all species. From the tender foster parent of a baby Neanderthal whose parents were devoured by a sabre toothed tiger to the famed up bringing of Romulus and Remus by a Roman She-Wolf, the instinct to take another as one’s own and nurture to maturity is among the most noble deeds of human kind and indeed of living creatures.
Adoption methods and acceptable practice vary from country to country and are also distinctly different in modernized urban areas versus the more traditional rural regions. There are also many forms of adoption, each with many legal or cultural idiosyncrasies.
Taking the responsibilities of raising the child of a deceased or otherwise incapable relative is a straight forward matter in Ethiopia and one that an informal gathering of family heads can enact without much fanfare. This is known as ‘Gudefecha’(Oromifa) or ‘Madego’ (Amharic) and has legal validity. There is also institutional ‘Madego’-obviously a less preferable adoption method but one that has its merits if proper safeguards are implemented and resources are available. Institutional adoption includes state or public sponsored orphanages and the more specialized and effective ‘house’ or ‘village’ models such as those of SOS Children’s Village, the Cheshire Home and Abebech Gobena Home for Children. These institutions, just short of providing actual guardian parents, raise physically or mentally challenged, destitute, abandoned or otherwise parentless children to become productive members of society. Their alumni are found in virtually all sectors of the economy as the orphanages have educated and empowered their wards.