Update: Ethiopia Adoption Program
Meet our newest addition to the Ethiopia department...
My name Aster Gerawork Hiruye. I was born and raised in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. I came to the United States in September of 2000, where I lived and worked in Irving, Texas until December 2005. I then moved to Alexandria, VA, where I lived until February of 2007. I started working with Christian World Adoption on January 15th, 2007, and my first day at work was on a plane heading to Ethiopia.
During the “Scramble for Africa” era of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Ethiopia and Liberia were the only countries (out of 54 total African countries) that were not colonized. This helped my country maintain their pride in being who they were, as well as their extensive cultural heritage - like being the only African country with their own alphabet and calendar, and the second oldest Christian country in the world (they officially accepted Christianity in 4th century AD).
Ethiopians have many unique social values, such as getting together and forming associations that cover family expenses, and corporately sharing physical and emotional needs during a loved one’s death, wedding, or childbirth. These associations serve like modern life insurance or credit cards, but add the benefit of emotional support.
Adoption is one of the many ways Ethiopians used to help each other. If a family could not have a biological child, if a child was orphaned and left by him/herself, or if a family had only girls, they could adopt one of their niece’s, nephew’s or best friend’s children and raise them as their own.
Even before adoption was legally regulated by the Ethiopian Civil Code of 1957, it was one of the oldest traditional practices in Ethiopia. But now, there are very few adoption traditions in the country.
Ethiopia is about 426,373 square miles, and the population is a little more than 75,000,000. This shows that Ethiopia is densely populated. There have been constant civil wars and wars against foreign invaders since the country was established in the 8th century BC. Because of this, Ethiopia never had the chance to really grow economically.
The dense population, the economic underdevelopment, and the recent HIV/AIDS crisis have made Ethiopia one of the poorest countries in the world, with many orphans and homeless people that will never be able to help each other as they used to.
In Ethiopia it is quite common to see many young children and orphans living in the streets. Since they are homeless, they fall victim to all kinds of abuses and neglect, and they will be the first ones to be HIV/AIDS infected. It is absolutely impossible and unimaginable that these children will build a hopeful future for Ethiopia. During this kind of helplessness, I believe that having organizations like Christian World Adoption are God-given blessings.
Aster Hiruye
Ethiopia Case Manager |
