Adoptee Search – brothers Milkessa and Megersa Bogale are searching for their family. The boys are originally from Harer. After the death of their mom Bizuye or Buzuyie in 1999, their dad Bogale moved with them to Addis. When he died in 2002, they stayed with friends in Addis who eventually gave them to Layla House for adoption. They were adopted to the USA via Adoption Advocates in Washington State. The year was 2004 and the boys were ages 7 and 8. Some relatives they remember are Wondiye, Bekele, and Aunt Etenesh. Bekele and Etenesh lived around Addis Ababa.
Submitted by Adoptees Searching for their Family
Child’s Information
Gender of Child Boy
Year of child’s birth two brothers, born in 1996 and 1997
Name of child at the time of adoption – include nicknames Milkessa and Megersa
Ethiopian birth name of child Milkessa Bogale and Megersa Bogale
Age of child at adoption 7 years and 8 years
Year child was adopted 2004 Year of Adoption
Give information about child’s Ethiopian family, if known. Milkessa and Megersa: We are two brothers adopted via Layla House, in Addis Ababa. We were born in Harar in 1996 and 1997. By the time we were 7 and 8 years old, both of our parents and little brother had passed away. We know our mom’s side of the family worked in hotel in Harar and My dad was from the Oromo tribe and he moved to Addis after our mother and brother died. We think he worked for the
bus company before he died. When he died we stayed with a family friend (we have pictures of them). That Family friend had 3 daughters much older then us. One day her oldest daughter and her coworker discovered Layla house and they brought us there. We know our last name, but we don’t know how to spell it. We have pictures of our parents and the family friends that took us in. We know we have family on both sides, my moms side was in Harar and our dads side located anywhere between Harar and Addis. We know my dad had a brother that looked like him so maybe the pictures will help.
Relinquishment or Abandonment Information
Age when child entered care center or orphanage 7 years and 8 years
Year child entered a care center or orphanage 2004
To the best of your knowledge, child was Relinquished
Region of relinquishment Addis Ababa Region
City/town of relinquishment Addis Ababa
Name and relationship of relinquishing adult Originally from Harari. But the People that relinquished us lived in Addis Ababa not to far from Layla House.
Do you believe child(ren) were relinquished willingly? No, the family was not consulted.
If you answered “No” to the previous question, please explain After the passing of our mom, our dad moved to Addis. When he died we think we were just given to the closest friend of our dad. The lady who received us after our fathers death already had 3 teenage daughters and we think having 2 little boys to watch might have been a little to much for her so we think it was easier to relinquish us to the orphanage instead of bringing us back to Harari.
Police officer involved with the case No police officer involved.
Adoption Agency Information
Adoption agency through which the child was processed Adoption Advocates International (WA, USA)
List adoption agency workers with titles if known Adoption Advocates International (AAI) – It closed in 2014, Gail Gorfe was the country representative in Ethiopia.
Adoptive Country USA
Orphanage/care center #1
Orphanage or care center used in the adoption Layla House
Orphanage or care center workers and their titles, if known Gail Gorfe, facilitator
Region of orphanage or care center Addis Ababa Region
City/Town of orphanage or care center Addis Ababa
Additional information about this orphanage or care center I have reached out to Gail Gorfe facilitator and she claims she has no information. I have reached to different people and they say she might not have information but Layla house does keep records. I am hoping that the people that dropped us off to the might have signed forms with their names on them and personal information. Because before we were adopted we visited them one last time to say good bye.
