The Child's Process

Here are the steps our children go through:
1. Child arrives at an Orphan Center
2. Child goes to the doctor for a medical examination and blood work (when the next vehicle is available)
3. Child is available to be referred to a family who has completed their Dossier (immediately)
4. Legal documents are gathered on the child (unknown amount of time…depends on availability of electricity, birth parent, etc… )
5. Sole, surviving birth parent goes to court, if parents are deceased the Orphan Center’s director serves this role.
6. Child’s paper work is submitted to embassy for passport and visa. Embassy appointment given to family.
7. Child goes home with family.

At this point in time, our agency is gathering legal documents for Abdi and Merga so that their cases can be submitted to court. Merga is at the transition house in Addis (the captial city). We are waiting for Abdi to be moved to the transition house, he is still in Kamashi right now (about 12 hours away from Addis). Our director said it could be mid March until Abdi can be moved to the transition house because it is full of children waiting for their embassy appointments.