Armenian Adoption Adventure, 48 hours January 18, 2014 expose on International Adoption (Abduction) fraud

Maureen Maher and 48 Hours investigate the sometimes-shady business of international child adoptions and the lengths families will go to bring children home to the United States in "Perilous Journey," to be broadcast Saturday, Jan. 18 (10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

CLICK HERE FOR A PREVIEW
The investigation reveals the extraordinary journey of one family to adopt two children from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the questionable practices of the U.S.-based adoption agency they'd chosen, as well as the harrowing story of one woman's attempt to adopt a child from Guatemala - through the same agency - and allegations of child trafficking against Guatemalan nationals that emerged afterward.

"We knew that international adoption is challenging. We were naïve in how much real trouble there is," says adoptive parent Ryan Owen, an Army officer who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Maher follows Owen and his wife, Jeri Lynn, who live at Fort Campbell, Ky., with three sons of their own, as they travel to Kinshasa and discover just what a perilous journey overseas adoption can be. The Owens began working on the adoption through Celebrate Children International (CCI), a small Florida agency, run by Sue Hedberg.
"Children need to be in families, not in institutions," Hedberg tells 48 HOURS. "Many of these children would die if it wasn't for adoption."

But the Owens' relationship with CCI began to deteriorate when their adoption process inexplicably stalled and they started hearing disturbing things about Hedberg's Congolese lawyer. The Owens took matters into their own hands, hiring their own attorney and travelling to the Congo to try to complete the adoption themselves. "I love these kids enough to do whatever it takes to get them home - whatever it takes," Jeri Lynn tells 48 HOURS.

The Owens, who named their daughters Ava and Zoey, are not alone in their struggle to get children from abroad or to raise questions about the process. Nor are they alone in their questions about Sue Hedberg, who sent 48 Hours a written statement through a representative maintaining, "each and every adoption undertaken by CCI was, and is, in strict compliance with the laws of the United States and the laws and regulations of the originating nation at the time of the adoption."

Betsy Emanuel, a Tennessee mother of five adopted children, talks with Maher about her attempt to adopt a child from Guatemala, also through Hedberg's agency CCI. Emanuel fell in love with a girl named Maria Fernanda, after seeing her in a video CCI sent her. Shortly thereafter, CCI offered her Maria Fernanda's newborn sister, Ana Christina. Emanuel couldn't afford to adopt two children, so she kept going with the adoption of Maria Fernanda - until one day, she says, a representative of CCI told her the girls' mother had resurfaced and, accompanied by armed men, demanded the children back.
"I knew something was wrong," Emanuel tells 48 HOURS.

Having already invested heavily with CCI, Emanuel adopted a different child through the agency. Around the same time, she learned Maria Fernanda and her sister were again being offered for adoption, though this time not by CCI. Preoccupied with the girl, she later searched online for Maria Fernanda's name and found a Guatemalan newspaper story about children who had been abducted for adoption. The story included Maria Fernanda and her sister. Emanuel was stunned to read the girls' mother, Mildred Alvarado, had been looking for them for more than a year. Emanuel immediately got involved in exposing problems within the Guatemalan adoption system.

In an emotional interview with Maher in Guatemala, Alvarado recalled how she was coerced to give up her 3-year-old daughter, Maria Fernanda, being told that it was temporary. Then, she says, she was duped into undergoing an early C-section to deliver her daughter, Ana Christina. When she awoke, she was taped to the bed and the newborn was gone. More than a year later, Emanuel would help reunite the family when she found the article and Guatemalan authorities gave Mildred Alvarado her children back.

More than five years later, Maher travels with Emanuel to Guatemala to meet Alvarado, and her two girls, for the first time.

48 HOURS: "Perilous Journey" features interviews with the Owens, Emanuel, CCI supporters Brian and Sarah Grandstaff, Mildred Alvarado, and Susan Jacobs, the State Department's special representative for children's issues. 48 HOURS: "Perilous Journey" is produced by Joshua Yager, Doug Longhini, Jonathan Leach and Ana Real. Kathleen O'Connell is the development producer. Peter Schweitzer is the senior producer. Susan Zirinsky is the senior executive producer.

http://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/Scoop-48-HOURS-on-CBS-Saturday-January-18-2014-20140116

Chat with members of the 48 Hours team during the broadcast on Twitter and Facebook.

EXCELLENT SEGMENT OF 48 HOURS, LIVE FOOTAGE OF SUE HEDBERG OF CCI (CELEBRATE CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL) WHO HAS BEEN DENIED HAGUE ACREDIATION 2 TIMES.  CAUGHT ON FILM TRYING TO HUSTLE CHILDREN IN NON HAGUE COUNTRIES, GUATEMALA, ETHIOPIA AND CONGO.  BY JULY 2014 THE US STATE DEPARTMENT IS REQUIRING ALL IN COUNTRY FACILITATORS TO BE ACREDIATED AS WELL AS THE AGENCY.  SUE HEDBERG'S SALARY WAS OVER $1 MILLION THE LAST FOUR YEARS AND HER AGENCY'S REVENUE WAS OVER $12 MILLION.   2014 WILL BE THE YEAR THAT CCI  CLOSES.  http://www.cbsnews.com/common/video/cbsnews_player.swf 

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Armenian Adoption Adventure, US State Department has suspended Adoption Advocates Adoption Agency

http://adoption.state.gov/about_us/suspension_of_adoption_advocates_inc.php

Adoption Advocates Inc.'s Hague Accreditation suspended

January 9, 2014

On January 9, 2014, the Council on Accreditation (COA), the Department of State’s designated Accrediting Entity for adoption service providers under the Hague Adoption Convention (Convention) and Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000, suspended the accreditation of Adoption Advocates Inc. to provide adoption services in outgoing Convention adoption cases for failing to maintain substantial compliance with the accreditation standards at 22 Code of Federal Regulations Part 96 Subpart F.

As a result of this suspension, Adoption Advocates Inc. must cease to provide all adoption services in connection with cases covered under the Convention. This adoption service provider has provided services to adoptive parents in Ireland, Canada, and the Netherlands. Please note that this suspension will not affect Adoption Advocates Inc.’s ability to work in non-Convention countries.  Persons with an open case with Adoption Advocates, Inc. may contact the adoption service provider directly to find out how the suspension may affect their adoption services.

The suspension will begin on January 9, 2014and will last for at least 60 days. In order for the suspension to be lifted at the end of the 60 days, Adoption Advocates Inc. must complete corrective action required by the accrediting entity. Updated information will be provided on the adoption.state.gov website.

Armenian Adoption Adventure, Armenia through the eyes of a child

Every evening, Melanie, Margaret, Sevana and I sit down and plan what to do with our Advanced English students the next day. We had already talked about family, school and hygiene with them, and were starting to run out of ideas when Sevana suggested we ask the students what they would change and what they would keep the same if they were president of Armenia. We were worried about whether or not we could help them with political terms or if they would even be interested at all, but the responses we got helped us see the changes needed in Armenia through a child’s eyes and the simplicity of most of their suggested changes showed some of the roots of the troubles Armenia faces.

Many of our students had worries that we would have expected to hear from adults. These children are so much more aware of their surroundings than we had expected. They share the household stress with their parents who are struggling to make ends meet. Hasmik Hovasepyan says, “If I were president of Armenia, I would create more jobs because I want to help people. I shall create more buildings because I want people to have homes.”

Hasmik is 12 years old and has worries that I have never seen in an American preteen, who would have been more worried about the latest video game or trendy outfit.

Trash has never been a problem for us in the two weeks we’ve been in Gyumri because there is a dumpster located about two blocks away from our temporary home and we produce very little trash since we don’t cook our own food and don’t clean much, but our students showed us that trash is a huge problem for Gyumri’s smallest citizens. 13 year old Jenya Hovhannisyan says, “I would create a law forbidding trash cans in the streets.”

While Jenya wanted fewer trash cans, 14 year old Gor Hovhanisyan “would eliminate trash.”

We had seen trash on the streets of Gyumri, but began noticing it more after reading our students’ responses. As Unger Gevorg explained to us, there are no laws about trash on the streets, and people do not care to find a trash can, instead choosing to dump whatever trash they have on the streets.

The innocence of the children really showed in some of their responses. 13 year old Angela Apriyan would “build parks for children and… give money and clothes to orphanages… and establish flowers and trees in streets.”

12 year old Alina Mkhoyan wants to “eliminate criminals” and “have world peace.”

11 year old Marian Nahapetyan would “eliminate money because people commit crimes for money and it is not needed.”

14 year old Andranick Khachatryan “would buy wonderful footballers for our country because today football is not good in Armenia.”

But some of the most memorable responses were the most serious ones. 14 year old Gor Hovhanisyan wants “to help for women and and laws that prevent parents from hitting their children.”

Hearing that from Gor, who is usually bouncing off the walls in our classroom was incredible. It just emphasized the fact that we learn something new about our students every day. I personally had always underestimated him and am sorry it took so long to realize his true colors. 11 year old Roza Simonyan wants “Ararat to be ours again,” but she had trouble explaining how she would reach that goal if she were president.

12 year old Arpi Antanyan “would build skyscrapers and change every building [and] keep the same only the natural beauty of Armenia.”

Like Hasmik and Arpi, many of our students wanted better, newer buildings in Gyumri, which brought to light that over two decades after the 1988 earthquake, there are still buildings that need to be rebuilt and the ones that survived the earthquake are deteriorating over time. Arpi also wants to “create a law about not smoking”

because she wants people to be healthy. In a country where smoking is accepted in almost every location, Arpi’s response gave me hope that there are still those who care about the health and wellness of the people. The final sentence of Arpi’s response was most memorable: “I would beautify my country so well that nobody would want to leave.”

As children of Armenian emigrants, we know that the conditions in Armenia are unbearable for many people, but it was beautiful to see that there are still those who believe that Armenians should stay in Armenia.

At the end of it all, Andranick said it best, “my country Armenia is the best in the world.” It is these children with their big ideas and innocent outlooks on life who will grow up to be the changes that Armenia needs in order to live up to its full potential. I’m so proud that we were able to see the beginnings of it.

With much love and hope,

http://asbarez.com/97258/through-a-child%e2%80%99s-eyes-2/

 

Armenian Adoptions, Children of Armenia Fund to have reception in New York, December 13, 2013

The most progressive of Children's funds in Armenia, is hosting their Winter reception in New York on December 13, 2013 at the Ciprini nightclub.  Hollywood Actress Andrea Martin and Actor Victor Garber will host the event.  Please support Children of Armenia fund, it is the only fund that promotes the economy in Armenia and the entire village with building of schools, hospitals, etc., 

Club Cipriani will be the venue for the 10th annual Children of Armenia fund.
The best Children's fund to support the future of Armenia

Children of Armenia Fund Tenth Annual Holiday Gala

Please join the Children of Armenia Fund as we celebrate ten years of accomplishments on Friday, December 13, 2013 at Cipriani 42nd Street. Cocktails & auction start at 7pm, followed by dinner, honors, and performances at 8pm, and a night of dancing at 10pm.

This unforgettable night will feature special guests and talented youth from our community-led programs in Armenia.

Master of Ceremonies Andrea Martin, Emmy & Tony Award Winning Actress.

Please visit www.coafkids.org for more information and to purchase tickets.

Categories: Fundraising & Charity

http://newyorkcity.eventful.com/events/children-armenia-fund-tenth-annual-holiday-gala-/E0-001-063782915-6

The Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that uses community-led approaches to reduce rural poverty, with a particular focus on children. Since the inception of its programs in 2004, COAF has funded and implemented education, health, social, and economic development programs serving more than 25,000 people in rural villages of Armenia. Each person impacted represents one of the more than one billion people living in poverty, and the methods used in Armenia can be replicated in other communities, where children are most vulnerable. - See more at: http://www.coafkids.org/#sthash.iI3XO3J3.dpuf

http://www.coafkids.org/

 

 

Armenian Adoptions, award winning "Orphans of the Genocide" to air on PBS Miami December 12, 2013

Award winning "Orphans of the Genocide" to show on PBS - WPBT Channel 2 in Miami. 

The awards keep on comming!  Congratulations to director Bared Maronian

This film has made its way to France, Canada, USA and we are working on South America (Argentina and Uruguay version) as well as a huge presentation in Armenia. 

ABREK !!!!

 

 

Watch more video from the Top Picks channel on Frequency

Armenian Adoptions, review of the book "Child Catchers"

This saddens all Armenians what is happening especially to our brothers in Ethiopia.  Ethiopians share over 2 centuries of closeness culturally, religiously and even their alphabet was written by the same man "Mashdots" 
The King of Ethiopia in 1923 adopted 40 Armenian Orphans of the Genocide out of Jerusalem.  However, now the tables are turned and Ethiopia is losing their future generation to corruption, it remains open to Americans but Ethiopian adoptions have closed to Canadians and other countries because of corrupt practices in the country. 

In 2009, a van from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, carrying seven young children and babies, was stopped as it drove outside the rural, central Ethiopian town of Shashemene. The children in the van were wards of Better Future Adoption Services (BFAS), a U.S. adoption agency, and had been declared abandoned—their families unknown—in the capital city of Addis Ababa. Police outside Shashemene arrested seven adults riding in the van, including five BFAS employees. The staff, it appeared to some, had sought to process children who had living family as though they had been abandoned in another region of the country, so that their adoptions to the U.S. could proceed more quickly.

At the time, Ethiopia was in the midst of a dramatic international adoption boom, with the number of adoptions to U.S. parents rising from a few hundred per year in 2004 to more than 2,000 five years later, and around 4,000 worldwide.The boom had brought substantial revenue into the country, as agencies and adoptive parents supported newly-established orphanages that became an attractive child care option for poor families; some agencies paid fees to “child finders” locating adoptable children; and the influx of Western adoption tourism brought money that trickled down to hotels, restaurants, taxi-drivers and other service industries.

Also with the boom came early warning signs of adoption fraud and corruption. Before the van was stopped near Shashemene, there had been a glut of abandonment adoptions being processed in Addis Ababa. The number of adoption cases where the parents were said to be unknown had caught the attention of Ethiopia’s First Instance Court, the body responsible for approving international adoptions. The court announced a temporary suspension on processing abandonment cases that originated in the capital until it could investigate further. For some agencies, the news was likely a blow, forecasting long wait times to process adoptions and frustrated clients in the U.S. But there was a way around: the court would continue to hear cases for children abandoned in other parts of Ethiopia.

One of the children transported in the van would later be adopted by a Christian couple just outside Nashville: 31-year-old Jessie Hawkins, a health and wellness author, and her 38-year-old husband, Matthew, a marketing executive. The Hawkinses had chosen BFAS as a protection against corrupt adoptions, assuming that because an Ethiopian woman living in the United States, Agitu Wodajo, ran it, the agency would operate more ethically than those lacking a local connection. Wodajo’s public professions of Christian faith reassured them as well.

Before the children were moved, BFAS notified Hawkins and the adoptive families they were taking the children to a cleaner and safer orphanage. Wodajo later claimed to me that the children were moved not to change their paperwork but because a colleague of a BFAS staffer who wanted to establish his own orphanage had asked to “borrow” some BFAS children to pose as his wards so he could obtain a license. The U.S. families didn’t learn until much later that the party had actually been arrested.

But there were earlier indications that the children’s paperwork at BFAS was a fluid matter. An e-mail from BFAS to U.S. adoptive families that July said that the agency was trying to locate children’s birth families in case the court decree didn’t allow them to be processed as abandoned. “If [the birth families] are willing, your children will be filed for court as a family member relinquishment and not as an abandonment,” the letter read. “So, BFAS is waiting for one of two things. 1) For the court to open their doors to new abandonment cases or 2) For birth families to relinquish the children so we can file immediately.” It seemed like an acknowledgement that the agency would pursue whatever avenue was quickest.

Hawkins herself was told different stories about the daughter she had committed to adopt, a four-year-old girl who had been declared abandoned and whose mother BFAS now said they were trying to find. “This is when I started to get suspicious,” Hawkins told me. “I thought, if you’re so confident she was abandoned, why are you trying to find her birth mother now?” But, she continued, “You get attached to this child and you’re basically at [the agency’s] mercy at this point. You believe these children are abandoned, orphaned, and you’re willing to do whatever or you’ll lose this child and they’ll live there forever.”

In the weeks that passed, while the children were said to be on the road, Hawkins and the other families grew close, comparing stories of what they’d been told. Some parents heard that nannies working at BFAS were in fact the mothers of some children being relinquished for adoption. In emails Wodajo sent to prospective clients, she wrote that they might be able to adopt infants as young as two months old because they were working with pregnant girls. But as rumors spread that their adoptions would be terminated or libel lawsuits filed if they pushed too hard, a hush fell over the group.

When Hawkins was finally called to Ethiopia to finalize her adoption, the BFAS staff there reassured her that her daughter had indeed been abandoned. But after the girl came to the United States she began acting out, behaving violently toward a set of baby dolls she had gotten for Christmas and systematically shattering glasses she found in the kitchen. A few months later, when she had learned some English, the daughter pointed to a picture of the orphanage that Hawkins had taped to her bedroom wall and told her, “When I lived there, I missed my mom.”

Hawkins responded, “‘Honey, that’s nice of you, but you didn’t know me then.’ And then she kind of looks at me like she’s afraid she was going to be in trouble, and you could see her really choosing her words with the little bit of English she had. And she said, ‘You know, I have another mom.’”

“I can’t even begin to put into words what that feels like,” Hawkins told me. “Finding out that you have someone else’s child simply because you happen to have been born in a country where you’re more privileged than they are? You want to throw up, you don’t know what to do.”

When Hawkins called BFAS to present this information, she reached Agitu Wodajo directly. Despite the many reassurances Hawkins had received in the past that the girl was abandoned, she said Wodajo replied without hesitation that yes, she had met the girl’s mother herself.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/witw/articles/2013/04/24/kathryn-joyce-s-the-child-catchers-inside-the-shadowy-world-of-adoption-trafficking.html

 

Armenian Adoption and Children of Armenia Fund presents their winter soiree

The most powerful charity for children in Armenia is the COAF (Children of Armenia Fund) which works at the village level promoting jobs and building the economy for families.  COAF builds schools, clinics and foundations for children in Armenia so their parents are not put in economic situations of leaving their children with orphanages for food and shelter.  They have many big name celebrities that come to fundraisers, the east coast NY one is held at the Met and has included such notables as Jane Fonda, Martin Short, Andrea Martin, Ken Davitian and more.  Here is the upcomming fundraiser with Michael Aram Designs, we have had several with Jewelry Giant Alex and Ani as well.  Lets support the future generation of Armenia and build their education and economy.