Ethiopian mother searching for female adopted at age 5-6 months through Kidane Mihret Orphanage. Her mother was told she was adopted to France but it could be another European country. She left her baby at age one month for temporary care in Kidane Mihret. When she could not pay the fees for the child’s care, the orphanage sent her for adoption without mother’s knowledge.
Submitted by Ethiopian family – mother – searching for child
Child’s Information
Gender of Child female
Ethnicity of Child Tigre-Eritrean or Amhara
Additional information about child’s ethnicity In 1985 there was no Eritrea so the child would have been listed as Amhara.
Year of child’s birth 1985
Birth date: Western calendar 03/02/1985; Ethiopian calendar 02/23/1977
Ethiopian birth Name of Child Ethiopian Mother named her ” Salem” – she is not sure if that was used when she was adopted
Name of child at the time of adoption UNKNOWN
Ethiopian family members’ names Ethiopian family names were not given in the adoption process
Age when child entered care center or orphanage 0-12 months
Year child entered a care center or orphanage 1985
Age of child at adoption 0-12 months
Year child was adopted 1985
Number of siblings/cousins adopted with the child 0
Number of siblings/cousins adopted to other families 0
Additional information about the child She was adopted around 5 or 6 month old to a European family, possibly in France. Birthmark on the right side above her butt towards upper hip
Adoption Agency Information
Adoption agency through which the child was processed UNKNOWN
Additional adoption agency information Kidane Mihret in Addis Ababa ETHIOPIA
Ethiopian representative of adoption agency She was a nun – older lady don’t remember her name
Other adoption agency workers She was a nun – older lady don’t remember her name
Country to which the child was adopted UNKNOWN European country, possibly France
Additional country information Possibly France as I was told when I visited the Orphanage 6 month later
Receiving country representative UNKNOWN
Additional adoption agency information Kebena Kidane Mihret
Orphanage/care center #1
Orphanage or care center through which the child was processed Kidane Mihret / Kidane Mihiret / Kidane Mehre
Orphanage or care center representative She was a nun – older lady don’t remember her name
Region of orphanage or care center Addis Ababa Region
Zone of orphanage or care center Addis Ababa – Addis Ababa Region
City/Town of orphanage or care center Addis Ababa
Orphanage/care center #2
Orphanage or care center through which the child was processed UNKNOWN
Orphanage or care center representative UNKNOWN
Information for Relinquished Children
Name of person who relinquished child Mother
Relationship of person who relinquished child Mother
Name of person who gave the child Child’s Ethiopian mother met the old lady from Kidane Mihret at Santa Anthonio church and gave the child to her as she was afraid to go to Orphanage. The meeting was arranged so the old lady could take the child to the orphanage for temporary care.
Region where child was relinquished Addis Ababa Region
Zone where child was relinquished Addis Ababa – Addis Ababa Region
City/town where child was relinquished Addis Ababa
Additional information that could be useful in making a match After giving birth to her child, mother was not able to take care of her because of a family situation. An old lady, a nun, who worked at Kidane Mehret agreed to take the baby temporarily. She promised it would be temporary and said mother should pay 50 birr a month for her care. Because the child’s mother was embarrassed and afraid to go to the orphanage in person, the orphanage worker met her at Santa Antonio church. She gave her baby to the old woman orphanage worker. The baby was one month old at the time. Mother went into the Orphanage twice within a 3 month period to pay the fee and to see her child. At three months old, the baby had lost weight and was sick. Since Mother did not have money to pay the fees, she did not return again until the child was 6 months old. At that time, she was told that because she didn’t come to pay the fee on time, they gave her up for adoption to French family.
