Gladney Rwanda Adoption

Monthly Suggested Trainings!

2012-01-19T11:45:00.001-08:00

Each month we are going to offer a suggested topic of focus for additional preparation before bringing your child(ren) home from Africa. We hope these extra resources will help you take one topic at a time and fully prepare your family for adoption, your child's transition, and incorporating African culture into your home.

January - Learn about hair and skin care for your African child

Article: Loving Black Hair Care
Hair Care Styling Guide: http://www.rainbowkids.com/articledetails.aspx?id=514

February - Learn about African food and culture

Eat at a local African or Ethiopian restaurant
Purchase an African cookbook and cook a traditional meal for your family

http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Cookbook/Ethiopia.html
http://www.recipezaar.com/recipes/ethiopian
http://recipes.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Rwandan_Cuisine
The Africa Cookbook by Jessica B. Harris (Simon & Schuster 1998)
The Soul of a New Cuisine: A Discovery of the Foods and Flavors of Africa by Marcus Samuelsson (Wiley 2006)

Learn as much as you can about the country & culture:

www.ethiopianculture.org
http://www.africaguide.com/country/ethiopia/culture.htm
http://www.rwandatourism.com/culture.htm
Host a coffee ceremony in your home for friends

Listen to traditional African music

March - Stay current on African news, politics, or country events

http://en.ethiopianreporter.com/ (Ethiopian news)
www.Ethiomedia.com (Ethiopian news website)
http://www.nazret.com/ (Ethiopian news website)
http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/africa/east/ (Voice of America)
http://www.newtimes.co.rw/ (Rwanda's First Daily Newspaper)
http://allafrica.com/ (Internet news service, compiles stories from Africa)

Mommy's Heart Went POP!

2011-10-18T08:30:00.001-07:00

Christina Kyllonen (Director of Development, 4-more) and Peter Greer (President, HOPE International) have teamed up to write a children’s story specifically for multiracial families who have been formed through adoption. Our hope is that this book, Mommy’s Heart Went POP!, will help encourage and equip families in their adoption and post-adoption journey.

Adopted children are often referred to as ‘heart-born children’ and with this in mind, the reader watches the mommy’s heart grow bigger and bigger as she prepares to bring her child home. One of our early reviewers commented that this book helps to "bring greater understanding to the depth of love that was reserved for that child by the parent."

Once this book has launched, all proceeds from book sales will go towards adoption grants and orphan care through the Ruby Myles fund, a newly developing branch of 4-more. We think that it is very fitting that a book about adoption be used as a tool to bring more children home to their forever families.

Update from Kigali!

2010-11-05T09:47:00.000-07:00

We’ve been receiving updates from Heidi Cox, Gladney’s Executive Vice President and General Counsel, from Rwanda and are anxiously awaiting her return to share with us about her trip. She has been in Rwanda this week leading and participating in training with Rwanda’s Ministry of Gender and the Protection of Families (MIGEPROF) staff, orphanage staff, and local government officials on the Implementation of the Hague Convention in Rwanda. Topics addressed have included the negative impact of institutionalization, child assessment and matching needs with services, alternatives to institutionalized care, foster care, domestic adoption, inter-country adoption, child protection and procedures, overview of the Hague convention, and procedures for Rwanda to implement the Hague convention.

Yesterday, Heidi was able to visit the genocide memorial in Kigali. She has also had the opportunity to visit Nyundo Noel Orphanage and Mother Theresa (Home of Hope) orphanage. On her way home, she will also be able to spend a day in Ethiopia and visit our foster care homes and Gladney staff in Addis Ababa.

Gladney also sent Chuck Johnson, President of the National Council for Adoption, along with Heidi to lead the training. We are excited for the discussions happening in Rwanda and the strides the Ministry is taking toward implementing an even stronger commitment to the future of their children and country.

The trainings concluded today, with a closing ceremony, and we look forward to sharing more from Heidi firsthand when she returns!

Water Purification System

2010-07-20T11:48:00.000-07:00

New Life Church in Arkansas installed a water purification system at the orphanage in Rubavu, Rwanda through the help of Gladney and our in-country representative, Bonita.

The church raised all the funds for this project.

Gladney Center for Adoption's Humanitarian Aid Program

2010-05-24T09:15:00.000-07:00

Rwanda Travel and Culture: Recommended Reading

2010-04-19T11:17:00.000-07:00

Upcoming Rwandan holiday - April 7 - Genocide Memorial Day

2010-02-04T12:31:00.000-08:00

As you are in the process of adopting from Rwanda, we recommend researching the Rwandan culture so you can share it with your child as they grow in your family. It’s true that you won’t hear as much about Rwandan holidays as you do about some other cultures such as the recent Chinese New Year, however, there are some major Rwandan holidays that your child and family can embrace and celebrate. Please join with us in remembering the hundreds of thousands of Rwandans killed during the genocide in 1994 and partner with us in aiding Rwanda to rebuild their families, communities, and homes still today.

http://www.newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=14161&article=25513

News from Kigali

2009-12-22T09:31:00.000-08:00

Rwanda’s “Miss Kigali” was crowned “Miss East Africa” last week!
She visited Kigali City to celebrate yesterday. To read more news, visit:
http://www.kigalicity.gov.rw/spip.php?article718

Celebrating a Rwanda Placement

2009-12-22T08:53:00.001-08:00

Please join us in celebrating a Rwanda placement this week!!! This is a very momentous placement for us, as there have been many changes in the way that adoptions are handled in Rwanda. We hope this family will pave the way for many more to come!! To find out more about our Rwanda program, please follow the link http://www.adoptionsbygladney.com/html/rwanda/index.php.

Calling All Artists!

2009-09-19T12:33:00.001-07:00

Have a little artist in your home? Here's their chance to make their mark. Knowing that children have endless visions of sugar plums and candy canes, Gladney is looking to its "babies" to design its annual holiday card. Budding artists can submit cover art, the inside verse . . . or both!

Entry form.

Homestudy is necessary first step in adoption

2009-07-09T06:50:00.001-07:00

Homestudy is necessary first step in adoption

Posted using ShareThis

New Gladney Family Association in Florida

2009-06-18T08:09:00.001-07:00

We are thrilled to announce that we have just officially established a South Florida GLADNEY FAMILY ASSOCIATION! This is a very exciting time and we would love to have you as a member.

Participating in the South Florida GFA is a wonderful way to meet other adoptive families, share your experiences throughout the different stages of adoption and have fun! As you are well aware, adoption touches all aspects of family life. That is why GFA membership may include grandparents, adult adoptees, friends (adoptive families through other agencies) or members of the community who are supporters of adoption. We are planning our Kick-Off event on Saturday, August 29th (location & time TBA) so please SAVE THE DATE! The dues to join are only $40 per year and the next dues will not be collected until January 1st, 2011, so if you sign up now, you will receive 18 months for the price of 12! You will then be included in every quarterly event we are planning this year as well as the South Florida GFA directory. Once you sign up, we will contact you personally to share more information about our Gladney Family Association. Don't hesitate to contact us directly if you have any questions!

We are looking forward to meeting you personally in the near future.

Join today!

Gladney Center for Adoption's Ethiopian Medical Mission Trip

2009-06-02T08:20:00.001-07:00

The Gladney Center for Adoption and doctors from Cook Children's Hospital traveled to Ethiopia to provide medical care to children living in orphanages. Watch this heartwarming adventure. For more information about how you can help children, please log onto gladney.org.

View the video!

2009 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces List

2009-05-04T12:24:00.001-07:00

Each year, the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption announces a list of employers with the best adoption benefits in the nation. Rankings are based on the amount of financial reimbursement and paid leave for employees who adopt. Honorees include the top 100, the top ten by size and the top five in each industry.

America's Top Ten
1 Wendy's International, Inc.
2 Citizen's Financial Group, Inc. / RBS Americas
3-TIE Liquidnet
3-TIE LSI Corporation
3-TIE United Business Media LLC (UBM)
6 Subaru of America, Inc.
7. Bowen Engineering Corporation
8. Timberland
9. Barilla America
10. Time Inc.

Rwanda FAQ:

2009-03-17T11:07:00.000-07:00

Q: What kind of health testing is done on the children in Rwanda before they are matched with adoptive families?
A: Each child is tested for HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis and other medical conditions.

Q: What is the time frame for an adoption process from Rwanda?
A: At this time, it is difficult to give time frames for adoptions from Rwanda. The government officials are in the process of establishing the guidelines for inter-country adoptions which can change the time frame at any time.

Q: What is the minimum age difference between children at home and an adopted child?
A: For Rwanda, Gladney requires that there be 1 year age difference between children in the home and the adopted child.

Frank's Travel Journal - Part 2

2008-07-01T18:47:00.000-07:00

Frank Garrott's Travel Journal

2008-06-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

Frank Garrott, Gladney's Chief Operating Officer (COO), is on a journey to Rwanda, Ethiopia and Nepal. Frank is traveling with Scott Brown, Gladney's Executive Vice President, and Tom DiFilipo, President and CEO of JCICS. Their agenda includes a number of meetings with key officials in each country to encourage an openness in intercountry adoption as well as visiting orphanages.

While out of the country, Frank will be reporting on his journey.

http://www.adoptionsbygladney.com/html/whatsnew/franktravelART.html

Rwanda in Brief

2008-05-07T07:01:00.000-07:00

Rwanda, just south of the Equator in central Africa, is a mountainous land. Situated literally in the ‘heart’ of Africa, the small, landlocked country is on the border of East and Central Africa. Its neighbours are the Democratic Republic of Congo (former Zaire) to the west, Tanzania to the east, Uganda to the north and Burundi to the south.

Anyone visiting 'the land of a thousand hills' is in for a multitude of surprises. The loveliness and variety of the landscapes in this 'green country' is dominated to the north by volcanoes and bordered by Lake Kivu to the west. In Rwanda the great animals of the wild are protected from poachers and roam free in the vast national parks. The Volcanoes National park in the Virunga volcanic mountains with its high altitude forests, are world famous for mountain gorillas - timid and passive family oriented giants - which is teeming with wildlife both large and small, while Lake Kivu to the west offers beautiful beaches, jutting peninsulas and an archipelago of islands.

History. This tiny, landlocked country—the continent's most densely populated—gained independence from Belgium in 1962. In 1959, three years before independence, the majority ethnic group, the Bahutu, overthrew the ruling Tutsi king. Over the next several years, thousands of Batutsi’s were killed, and some 150,000 driven into exile in neighboring countries. The diaspora later formed a rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), which after several attempts to return to Rwanda peacefully were denied, began a civil war in 1990 to force the government to allow Tutsi refugees to return to Rwanda. This civil war culminated into what has come to be known as the worst genocide since the Jewish holocaust, in which hundreds of thousands of Tutsi and some Bahutu opposition were killed in a government sanctioned genocide. The RPF took over power and stopped the genocide in July 1994.

Rwanda is well known to many Americans because of these tragic events that unfolded there in the spring of 1994. Much has been written about the genocide and resources are widely available on the web and elsewhere for those who wish to be informed about its history, probable causes and about the way forward. Rwandans today struggle to recover not just from that singular event, but from a long history of hatred and killings.

In June of 2003, the UK’s former International Development Secretary, Claire Short, spoke on a popular BBC Radio 4 Today program about a trip she had made to Rwanda.

‘We rarely hear stories of hope from Africa but Rwanda is a story of hope despite its terrible history. Only nine years ago, it suffered a terrible genocide…. But despite all of this Rwanda has been rebuilding. There is now peace and order in the country. There are more children in school than ever in the history of the country…..Much remains to be done to secure a safe and dignified future for the long-suffering people of this beautiful country. But if Rwanda continues to make progress in reconciliation, economic and social development as it has in the last six years, then there is real hope of the future without strife and genocidal killing.’

In just short 14 years since the genocide was stopped, the country has been resilient with the help of a pro-active government to promote security, reconciliation, and general economic development. When one visits Rwanda today, it’s hard to imagine how the country has bounced from its devastating past. Today Rwanda has much to show the world about confronting the legacy of the past and tackling the challenge of recovery.

The Government of National Unity and the Rwandese people, with some support from the International community, have registered progress in the difficult process of moving from emergency to long-term development to promote a multi-ethnic idea of Rwandan national identity.

Rwanda is about the size of Vermont, but boasts a population of about ten million; its population density is the highest of any country in Africa and currently has one of the world’s highest birth rates. According to UNICEF, An estimated 1 million orphans and “other vulnerable children” live in Rwanda.

Please visit the Rwanda Website: www.gov.rw
Rwanda Fast Facts
Population8,722,000
CapitalKigali; 656,000
Area26,340 square kilometers(10,169 square miles)
LanguageKinyarwanda, French, English, Kiswahili
ReligionRoman Catholic, Protestant, Adventist, Muslim
CurrencyRwandan francs
Life Expectancy49.76
GDP per CapitaU.S. $1,000
Literacy Percent
76.8

Food in Daily Life. Rwandan food is quite simple, with beans, bananas, sweet potatoes, potatoes, and sorghum being the most common foods. Dairy products are also widely consumed, particularly a traditional drink of curdled milk. Those who can afford to do so also eat meat, primarily beef, goat, and chicken. Sorghum and banana beers are common as well.

Basic Economy. Rwanda has an overwhelmingly agrarian economy. Most residents live largely from subsistence farming, growing some coffee on the side as a means of earning income. The level of industrialization remains extremely low.

Government. Rwanda has a President, assisted by a multiparty cabinet and a Prime Minister.
In 2003 a new constitution was promulgated which for the fist time enshrined principles that mark any modern democracy. The constitution established the principle of separation of powers by which the executive, legislative, and judicial branches are to be independent and not infringe upon each other's rights and duties. This is one of the most important doctrines in the Rwandan constitution. By distributing the essential business of government among three separate but interdependent branches, the Constitutional framers ensured that the principal powers of the government will not be concentrated in the hands of any single branch.

The country is divided in five provinces and subdivided into thirty districts. The provinces are: North Province ,East Province, South Province, West Province and Kigali City.

The Presidential elections were held peacefully and in August 2003, Paul Kagame returned as President for a term of seven years with 95.05% of the total votes. In September 2003, Parliamentary elections followed. An interesting fact to note is that Rwanda has the highest number of women parliamentarians in the world and the Rwanda constitution mandates 30% of women representation at every level of administration in the country.