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Adoption Programs in Ethiopia & Bulgaria

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Families Thru International Adoption (FTIA) opens International Adoption Programs in Ethiopia and Bulgaria Summary: FTIA is pleased to announce that it has opened adoption programs in Ethiopia and Bulgaria for U.S. families interested in adopting internationally. In keeping with our mission to provide assistance to children in need and to help caring families provide loving permanent homes for them, FTIA will continue to expand into countries where children linger in orphanages. During this time of changes, delays, restrictions and shutdowns in the adoption process in some countries, this is welcome news for families. FTIA has existing programs in China, Russia, India, Brazil, Vietnam, Panama and Guatemala.

Ethiopia – FTIA is accepting applications for its Ethiopia adoption program. FTIA has established an office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and helped establish and fund an NGO (non-government organization), Shalom Children's Hope, in the Awassa area of Ethiopia. Shalom Children's Hope offers family preservation services to local families and provides care for orphaned children. Families interested in adopting from Ethiopia will work with FTIA throughout their adoption process and FTIA will coordinate the final steps with Bethany Christian Service while FTIA awaits the final approval of its own Ethiopia license. Healthy infants and children and special needs children are already waiting for their loving families at Shalom Children's Hope. Additional information is available on FTIA's website at http://www.ftia.org/ethiopia/index.asp .

Bulgaria – FTIA's Bulgaria program operates in partnership with two licensed Bulgarian agencies each with over 20 years experience working in international adoption. Bulgaria, a Hague Country, has recently re-opened to U.S. citizens due to the implementation of the Hague Convention by the United States. FTIA will be one of the first U.S. agencies to open a program in Bulgaria. The program will initially open as a Pilot Program for a small number of families. Additional families will be accepted once the process is working as expected. Families will make two trips to Bulgaria and most children will be 3 years or older.


For more information about this topic or to schedule an interview, please contact

Kansas/Missouri Contact: Cheryl Walsh
Phone: 913/681-9604 or Email: cwalsh@ftia.org
Agency Contact:Chris Huber, Director of Program Development Phone: 812/479-9900 or Email: chuber@ftia.org
Submitted by Cheryl Walsh on September 16, 2008 - 12:54pm.
2008 Sep 16