Category - Burkina Faso

27
Jun

Four Reasons to Consider Adopting from Burkina Faso

Deciding which country to adopt from is a huge decision. Families usually spend time wrestling with which country program is the best for them before making their final decision. They weigh stability, predictability, need, eligibility requirements, desires and travel throughout this decision making process. Many families are initially drawn to the need for international adoption ...
31
May

What Does Special Needs Look Like in Burkina Faso?

Families seeking to adopt a special needs child from Africa may want to consider Burkina Faso as a possible option. Burkina Faso is a landlocked country located in central Africa and signatory to The Hague Convention. Because Burkina Faso is a Hague country, it affords prospective adoptive parents added protection that non-convention countries may not have. ...
24
May

MLJ Adoptions’ Family Receives First Burkina Faso Referral!

We are excited to announce that our first family adopting from Burkina Faso has been matched with a child! The family waited seven months from submitting their dossier to Burkina Faso’s central authority to receiving news this month that they were matched with a child. Burkina Faso is a country located in western Africa and ...
17
Feb

Humor and Cultural Practices in Burkina Faso

Adopting internationally presents families with a unique challenge. Should they pursue international adoption, they will be parenting a child from a different culture than themselves. Families who are adopting from Burkina Faso may find that their friends and family are also unfamiliar with the culture. Burkina Faso is often described as a “melting pot of ...
1
Feb

What is the Role of a Central Authority in a Hague Convention Country?

Prospective adoptive parents have a lot of questions. As an agency, we enjoy answering each and every one. How do we know our adoption will be ethical? What steps are in place to ensure my child is adoptable? How often do you travel to the countries?   These questions are even more common when the ...
21
Dec

Celebrating Christmas in Burkina Faso

As in the United States, Christmas in Burkina Faso is celebrated on December 25th. Christmas in this country is typically celebrated both among families and in churches. Christmas is not about decorations or gifts for children, but is about supplying good food for family and neighbors. In Burkinabe villages, children mix clay, straw and water ...
8
Sep

Burkina Faso Offers Options to Families Interested in Adopting from Africa

In November 2014, MLJ Adoptions opened our ninth international adoption program in Burkina Faso. Burkina Faso is located in the horn of Africa; it is landlocked and surrounded by five other African countries. With limited resources, the need for international adoption is great. The need for international adoption from Burkina Faso is not just for ...
28
May

Burkina Faso International Adoption Program Addresses Need

It is absurd to me that we live in a world where in the United States the focus is on lowering obesity rates while in countries such as in Africa and Asia populations are fighting hunger and starvation on a daily basis. We live in a high speed world where we are all connected through ...
26
May

Advantages of Adopting from Burkina Faso

For a number of years, adopting from Ethiopia has been a popular choice for adoptive parents interested in adopting from Africa. Yet, in recent years there has been a sharp decline in the number of adoptions taking place in Ethiopia and many families are experiencing significant delays. We also anticipate a decline in adoptions from ...
18
Feb

Where in the World is Burkina Faso?

Burkina Faso is MLJ Adoptions’ newest adoption program. It’s a country about the size of Colorado located in Western Africa. Even though it is home to 18 million people, the country is not yet a household name. Today, we introduce you to the newest country we have the privilege of serving. Where is Burkina Faso ...
16
Feb

Who Can Adopt from Burkina Faso?

Burkina Faso is MLJ Adoptions’ newest international adoption program and the second program offered for families interested in adopting a child from Africa. Burkina Faso is a country that is signatory to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention). As a Hague country, the adoption ...
10
Feb

Ten Things to Do Before Travelling to Africa

Parents adopting from Africa will likely need to travel to their child’s country of birth to bring their child home. Parents who adopt from countries such as Congo, Burkina Faso or Ethiopia are required to take at least one trip to the country to finalize their adoption process. Traveling to Africa comes with some inherent risks ...
9
Feb

Politics and Adoption in Africa

In the same week that we opened our Burkina Faso international adoption program, Burkina Faso’s President, Blaise Compaoré, was overthrown after a twenty-seven year long rule. Outraged protesters took to the streets after learning that Compaoré intended to make changes to the Burkina Faso constitution to allow him to extend his twenty-seven year rule. In a show of ...
5
Feb

History of Adoptions from Burkina Faso to Europe Promising for Future U.S. Adoptions

In October 2014, after more than two years of research, collaboration and travel, MLJ Adoptions was proud to open its second African intercountry adoption program in the West African nation of Burkina Faso. Our Burkina Faso program, as of the time of this writing, is currently designated as a “pilot program.” MLJ Adoptions refers to ...
3
Feb

Families Travel to Ouagadougou When Adopting from Burkina Faso

Families adopting from Burkina Faso, located in West Africa, are required to make at least one trip to this small African nation to complete their adoption process. While Burkina Faso is a small nation with a population of 16.9 million, it is estimated that nearly one million of its inhabitants are orphaned children. For those families wanting to ...
15
Dec

Misconceptions about Poverty in Third World Countries

Most parents have resorted to the well worn phrase “there are starving children in Africa” to cajole their children into cleaning their plates at dinner time. I have said this to my own children, with the gentle reminder that I have seen the truth of this statement for myself first hand during my travels to ...
26
Nov

Adopting from Africa is One Option to Fill a Critical Need

Africa is the world’s youngest continent, and it’s only getting younger. Based on a report completed by the World Bank, 42.6% of Sub-Saharan Africa’s total population is children aged up to 14. Children who are not even old enough to work in the United States make up over 40% of the population of Sub-Saharan Africa. ...
19
Nov

How to Open an International Adoption Program

Sonja Brown, MLJ Adoptions’ Program Director for Africa and Asia, used to scare me. After working several years in international adoption, Sonja has a confidence that is not easily rattled. She sits calmly behind her desk answering all the questions that are thrown her way throughout the day. As the Program Director of MLJ Adoptions’ ...
17
Nov

MLJ Adoptions Offers Hague Adoption Option From Africa

There are millions of children in need of loving, stable families all over the world. We hear the statistics all the time. However, when you see the faces of these children without families, you know they are so much more than numbers. For this reason, the staff of MLJ Adoptions is introducing Burkina Faso, our ninth international ...
29
Oct

MLJ Adoptions Introduces Burkina Faso International Adoption Program

After two years of research, collaboration and travel, MLJ Adoptions is excited to officially open a new African adoption program in the country of Burkina Faso! Burkina Faso is a landlocked country located in West Africa with the capitol being Ouagadougou. It has been estimated that 980,000 Burkinabe children are living without parental care in Burkina ...
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