Friends, we are excited to launch our First Annual Adoptee Scholarship Fund Drive!
We believe adoptees are entitled to their full adoption documentation and information about their families of origin, with connection and reunion whenever possible. So far, the involved governments, adoption agencies, and orphanages have not taken responsibility for providing this. Researching an adoption takes time, expertise, dedication, and sometimes even bravery. Individual search costs run from about $800-$2200 depending on location, available paperwork, and so on.
Ideally, adoptive parents step in to help adoptees in their research. However, for some adoptees, this support is not provided. Moreover, the desire to search may come when an adoptee is a young adult not yet financially independent. We would like to help these adoptees to the extent that we can.
Since 2020, Beteseb Felega – Ethiopian Adoption Connection has donated search and reunion services for six individual adult adoptees and seven individual services ranging from DNA testing to full searches to records retrieval. We did this quietly on a case-by-case basis.
Now, we are getting many requests from adult adoptees, some of whom cannot fund their roots search on their own and have no support. This breaks our hearts. We want to provide our services to as many adult adoptees as possible, but we need your help to do it.
You can contribute to this groundbreaking opportunity for adult Ethiopian adoptees by donating today!
From Mekdes, adult adoptee:
Beteseb Felega – Ethiopian Adoption Connection has helped me so much! I had a lot of trauma and unanswered questions. They came into my life when I needed it and dedicated their time to helping me. I wasn’t sure if I would ever get the truth, but now my memories have been confirmed and I am finding the closure I needed. I appreciate their transparency and dedication to giving me what I want or need and always checking with me prior to doing anything. I couldn’t believe they offered free support, for in my past, everything has come with a great price. I thank God for Andrea and all of the staff at Ethiopian Adoption connection. They are not only trust worthy, but they also care about getting the answers you are looking for. – Mekdes, adult adoptee
Scholarship applications will be reviewed by at least two team members, one of whom will be an adult adoptee. Partial scholarships will be awarded so that we can help a greater number of adoptees. See our process and a sample report for more information about roots research with Beteseb Felega. Minor children and adoptive parents are not eligible to apply for this scholarship, as it is reserved for adult adoptees with a proven need. Any funds leftover at the end of the year will be rolled over to the next year.
No Fees/Low Fees with Venmo!! Shameless beg: Credit card fees are hurting us. Venmo issuper easy to set up. Then, just Venmo @BetesebFelega. Receipts will be done by hand for these, and it’s helpful if you inform Andrea via [email protected]
