Adoptions From Ethiopia Increasing

An article in The Post Star, of Glen Falls, NY, that give lie to the myth that Americans are shunning African orphans.

Adoption across an ocean
Ethiopian orphans finding homes with American families

When Cheryl Carter-Shotts first started trying to help Americans adopt children from Africa 20 years ago, she said people told her, " 'Africa, Cheryl? Wise up, nobody cares.' "

In her estimation, a couple of huge celebrities helped change that situation.

"Bono got involved in Africa, and people started paying attention," said Carter-Shotts, managing director of Americans for African Adoptions. "Then Angelina Jolie went in, and oh my god, it blew the doors of Ethiopia open for adoption."

These stars and Madonna may have focused more attention on Africa lately, but interest in Ethiopian adoptions has been growing for several years.

The number of children adopted to the U.S. from Ethiopia shot up from 135 in 2003 to 732 in 2006, making Ethiopia the fifth-most-popular country for American adoptions.