Immediate Moratorium on Inter-Country Adoptions

I'm sorry to have to update after so long with such devastating news. I've been scrambling all day to get as much info as possible - not much is known.

Please say a prayer for those in process, in country - fostering their children.

Cabinet - No more foreign adoptions - Daily Nation

Press Statement

Feel free to lend your voice on LAN's page:

or send some fan mail to Mr Kenyatta

Disturbing Trends - Kenya adoption update

I really don't even know how to begin. Quite frankly, I am feeling like this program, that is obviously so near and dear to my heart, is on an inevitable track to derailment.

Please know that everything I am going to speaking about below is here-say, and my thoughts and opinions. It has not been formally or officially communicated or published by the NAC.

I have always refrained from posting 'here-say' here, and much of my information comes days, and sometimes weeks from me hearing it because I want to validate it before posting. I know how emotional this journey is, and I really don't want to add unnecessary concern or stress. However, it is also a juggling act for me as I know most of the information in adoption is not published or official, but rather information gained in our adoption networks, and important to our journeys.

As you all know, we are seeing some very disturbing trends since the new NAC committee has been formed.

We have heard about 3 rejections this year alone, and I believe there is more. My heart goes out to these families. This is a new trend. I myself, have not heard of families being rejected prior to this.

If we look at the reasons that were given for the rejections, in addition to comments that were made by the CD representatives at the US adoption meeting I referred to in my last post, in addition to the experience of others in country, and of our local agencies, there is too much evidence to support the following synopsis.

• Childless couples with infertility have priority
• Couples with NO fertility issues are not a priority and may be rejected
• Adopting a third child is not favorable and also may be rejected
• Having previously adopted from another country is not favorable

There have been some very random statement and actions that simply indicate the NAC is unpredictable and may be acting out against international adoption in general, as many have indicated for months now. 

Please visit JoEllen's blog, where she posted a recent memo from her local agency, that also indicates the above.

Key points copied below:

- NAC meets once a month, as previously

- Max 10 applications for inter-country adoption is approved per meeting
- Childless couples have priority
- NO to adopt a third child
- Infertility certificates shall be included in the dossier . The reason for adoption must be clear. NAC wants to understand why you want to adopt a child from Kenya, and if one can smoothly get biological children, they are not a priority.
- An update to the consent investigation (home study) is required if the investigation is over a year old when the file is sent to Kenya

Waiting times at the NAC
With the current situation it is very difficult to know how long our applicants must wait before NAC can get an answer. NAC has many applications waiting for answers and they have not yet had time to go through all the applications received from October 2013 onwards.

Onwards and upwards. If you already have a dossier submitted and fall into one of these unfavorable categories, keep your chin up and stay positive. Some families in these situations are still being approved, whereas others are not. 

If you have not submitted your dossier and fall into one of these categories, I suggest you consider the risk upon entering this program. Much of it simply feels like a crap shoot...

Personally, I would be investigating Zambia adoption. I think this it is a program worth keeping tabs on.

At the end of the day, I am very sad. I'm sad for all of you. I am sad for the orphaned children of Kenya who are being raised in orphanages instead of families. Selfishly, I am sad for my daughter knowing the impact this will have on the growth of our Canadian Kenyan adoption community.

My heart sinks knowing, had we waiting one more year, we may not have been approved, as we fall under both unfavorable categories of having no fertility issues, and having 2 children. I assure you that we did our best to defend our position while in country in a way that would hopefully bring forth an understanding of how our culture differs in our acceptance of adoption. In the end however, the program is being governed by new people now. Perhaps they are simply exercising their power, and hopefully they will soften and come to a greater understanding of international adoption within time.

I think it's important to stress to all those in process to please proceed with care and respect. You are representing every international adopter that comes behind you. You have an obligation to conduct yourselves in manner that leaves the officials with a good impression. Wear your suit and tie, skirts/dresses, over-dress your children on court day, be sure to care for their hair (no natural fros or dreads), be polite and respectful and try to convey as best possible, your desire and ability to love a child who not only adopted, but also from a different race/culture. 

2 of our 4 adopted Kenyan Canadians. So thankful for them in our lives.

Kenya Adoption Update - Backlog

Unfortunately, many times in the course of our adoption journeys we are told many things that simply don't happen. Policies change, programs change and people simply change their minds. We have to remember that we cannot project our home country service standards (which are not without their own share of problems) to the bureaucracy of the countries we adopt from. Hence, some of the highs and lows that make up some of the bumps in this roller coaster ride.

The NAC did not meet in the beginning of March as was slated. They have decided to resume their regular 'monthly' meetings and not hold an extra meeting per month. March's meeting was scheduled for today, the 25th. We have not yet had confirmation that it did indeed take place. (*EDIT - The meeting took place March 18th.)

Last week, on the 20th, there was a US embassy meeting on adoption with two members from the Children's Department in attendance. They said the NAC IS still seeing US applications and there is a backlog of  approximately 40 total applications (from all countries). They confirmed they are seeing 10 cases each month.

This leads me to believe that there is at least a 6 month backlog for those who submit their dossiers from this point forward.

There are quite a few families with dossiers submitted between Sept/Nov 13 that have still not been seen.

My thoughts are with those of you who are still in waiting... Maybe this will provide you some comfort, and I'm sure a tear or two. Hang in there you all - it will happen!!

The Love of a Child

A heartwarming piece on a Canadian woman who fought the Kenyan legal system to adopt her Kenyan son, 7 years ago.

I really enjoyed this piece, but found it unfortunate that it ended without giving a nod to the current international adoption situation in Kenya. It would have been a great way to raise awareness about this great adoption program available to Canadians, and dispel any presumptions viewers may have after watching this. IE. International adopters cannot pre-identify their child as per Hague rules, and they cannot adopt a child under 12 months as per Kenyan policy. 

Kenyan children are few and far between in the adoption community here in Canada, so we are excited to learn we have one more! 

I have watched this a couple times now, taking in all the sights and sounds, fondly missing our home away from home. 

Watch it here. 

Poop Diaries. Giardias Lambia in adopted children.

Warning: The following DOES show graphic poop photos and details. Finish your lunch first. This is a must read for all of you with children from overseas.

Disclosure - I am not a Doctor. I am research driven adoptive parent with more experience on this matter than I care to have.

This parasite infection has been quite a journey for us. Over a year long in fact. While I don't really like the idea of publicizing my daughter's medical (or poop!) details, I believe it's an important message.

Fact is, I have seen many photos of your children's swollen bellies on blogs and Facebook, and I happen to know there are many of you who have not gotten your children tested because you see no symptoms. Well let me enlighten you and gross you the heck out.

Honestly, I believe it to be very rare for any adopted child from Africa (and other third world countries) to be free and clear of parasites/worms. Many orphanages 'deworm' every 6 months, but let me tell you, this only kills some infections, and many others are simply building up resistance to these commonly used meds. A general dewormer (typically Albendazole) is not very effective against Giardia and other protozoans. In fact, Albendazole is known to be as little as 35% effective. I do not understand why it is so commonly believed and trusted to kill everything. Some parasites can, will, and do kill children, and yet they are completely unsuspected because the children are dewormed every six months.

I know, I know... your child is fine, no diarrhea, no stomach cramps. Heck, being the diligent parent you are, you even had him tested! (Big pat on the back for being proactive, seriously, but it's not over. Read on...)

Giardiasis does not always present itself with symptoms, and HAVING A NEGATIVE FECAL TEST DOES NOT MEAN YOUR CHILD DOES NOT HAVE PARASITES. You must test clear for a minimum of 3 tests!

Now for the mumbo jumbo technicalities...

Giardia Lambia is also known as Beaver Fever here in North America and is the most common parasite infection among adopted children. Because of this, I believe it is quickly becoming resilient to mainstream medicines.

Giardia, as with many parasites, coat the lining of the small intestines, blocking nutrient absorption, possibly causing lactose intolerance and irritable bowel syndrome. This is a worse case situation for a child living in an orphanage setting. Often, these children lack great nutrition as is, so it is important that they can absorb as much nutrients as possible. Secondly, many babies are put on cows milk early due to the cost of formula. I cannot tell you how many illnesses and rashes we have seen due to lactose intolerance in Kenya.

What are the symptoms?

According to Wikipedia, symptoms include the following:  loss of appetite, diarrhea, hematuria (blood in urine), loose or watery stool, stomach cramps, upset stomach, projectile vomiting (uncommon), bloating, excessive gas, and burping (often sulfurous). 

However, many times children will not show any symptoms, or the symptoms may be so insignificant, it goes unnoticed.

When we first got Zahra, she was a big healthy girl.

She certainly didn't display any signs of malnutrition. However - the very first thing I did was take her to the lab for Fecal testing.

Why?

1. She was big and healthy, but also sported this bloated belly. Z will always be curvy, it's in her genetic make up, but I had suspicions that this belly was a little bigger than it should have been.

2. Her stools were pale in color, thin and 'greasy' or soft. Now I believe this to be a key symptom to watch for, even if you child displays no other symptoms. I also believe that this is likely the most over looked symptom of this infection.

First time parents do not always know what color the child's stool should be, texture or consistency. Especially if the child is still on milk bottles and/or wearing diapers!

The answer is simple, the child should have stools like a healthy adult. Once a day is normal for a 3 year old, well formed and medium brown in color.

If your child is still in diapers, but on solid food, the stools should be the same. Actually, stools should be formed well enough that they can roll off the diaper into the toilet. Diaper explosions may accurately describe an infant with Giardiasis. Again, the key is to make note of the color.

I cannot stress this point enough and don't think I can get the point across without a visual. I apologize in advance, but you need to see this to know what I am talking about.

This is what we have lovingly coined in my house 'Parasite Poo' vs normal poo.

The key differences are: Parasite poo is softer, 'greasier', and pale in colour. It usually is not as well formed as it is in this picture, but more thin. (Sorry, didn't have a selection of photos to choose from.) It also usually stinks more, but hey - poo is poo and it all stinks, so you can't really rely on that.

THIS IS PARASITE POO.
It is not diarrhea, It is not grey, and it could easily pass by a unsuspecting parent as 'normal'.

Zahra went from passing a bit of stool every time she went pee (at the height of her infection), to having this stool once - twice a day.

3. My child was born and raised in a developing nation that struggles with clean water and sanitation.

Giardia is passed in Feces (poop). Typically found in untreated water, and therefore contracted when ingested. HOWEVER, It does not matter that your child came from the best orphanage, with world class hygiene, and clean drinking water. The problem is that many of the children (and staff) who come into the home are not from places that have clean drinking water sanitation, or good hygiene practices. If they have Giardiasis, it is very easily passed on in orphanages.

Giardiasis is contracted by swallowing Giardia picked up from surfaces such as bathroom handles, change tables, toys, handshakes, swimming pools etc. I simply do not know how any orphanage can be free of this risk. Most orphanages bathe multiple children in the same bath water. Many orphanage staff workers will change several poopy diapers before washing their hands.

All it takes is for a microscopic trace of poo on the caretaker's hand, she grabs the hand of the next child to change their diaper, and the child later sticks his fingers in his mouth. Also, we all know children are germ spreading, filthy creatures. They will stick their hands down their pants and then finger all the toys... they don't care. How many orphanages have the children wash their hands with soap before they eat? Many do not have the resources to do so before every meal or snack.

You get my point. Almost impossible to prevent, and almost a guarantee that your child has it.

4. Zahra would periodically complain of tummy pain, particularly after eating. I didn't necessarily link it to an infection, in fact I was starting to wonder if she had sensitivities to dairy, but it was still a possible symptom of parasite infection.

Zahra tested positive on her first sample in Kenya. We immediately invested in a lot of hand sanitizer and became religious hand washers. (Although truth was, we were before as we knew the risks were high.)

Prevention is key. We were lucky that none of us contracted this parasite from her. No bath sharing, and lots of hand washing... (also a quick introduction to potty training) is what kept us healthy.

The Doctor in Kenya prescribed us a seven day course of Flagyl, also known as Metronidazole.  This was absolutely a horrible experience for us as Z did not like sweet things and the medicine was compounded to taste like bubble gum.

I had to hold her down, plug her nose, fight her kicking and screaming to administer it! (The electrician actually came up to our 5th floor apartment one day to ask why she cries so loud. Then one day he witnessed it himself... and went away tsking and shaking his head.)

It was awful! If I knew then what I know now... I would not have treated her at this time. It was too early in our bonding period.

After treatment, she was better for 1 week until the symptoms returned. Months later, we repeated the treatment with the same results. I had a Canadian pharmacist confirm the doses, and the medicine was obtained from a Western Doctor in a upscale hospital, at a very reputable pharmacy. There was nothing wrong with the dosage, or the medicine - well, aside from the fact that it is not effective! (Doctors in your hometown will automatically assume that your child was not 'properly' treated due to the perception of lack of quality med care. In some cases this could be correct, but in the case of Kenya, it is not.)

Upon returning to Canada, we immediately had her tested again. She tested positive again as we suspected. Our Doctor wanted to subscribe her with Flagyl again. I refused. This medicine is not pleasant stuff... administering it, and on our little one's bodies. I refused to have her go through that again for nothing.

Our Doctor consulted with a pediatrician at the Children's Hospital in Vancouver for an alternative medicine. He simply recommended Flagyl. Once again, I refused.

Where the heck are the adoption specialist Doctors? I have yet to hear of a case of Giardias in an adopted child successfully being treated by Flagyl!

So I hit FB and the message boards to get an answer from the experts - Adoptive Parents.

What I discovered was many of them had similar stories! In fact, friends of ours had a little one (Baby 'B') who was treated twice in country (after 2 negative test results!!) and was referred to a specialist here in Canada who had him treated two more times with Flagyl before they would even consider other alternatives! 1 - 2 - 3 - FOUR times this 2 yr old was treated with Flagyl in one year, with no effect! (And did you catch it - he tested negative twice before being tested positive. This is a sneaky bug folks.)

What IS the effective treatment?

Tinidazole.

This is what the parents were telling me, and my research confirmed it. Article after article listed Tinidazole as the most effective treatment. Why they continue to prescribe Flagyl is beyond me. Some articles even cited the effectiveness being 90% vs 35%! in Flagyl

Unfortunately, it took me 2 months to get my hands on this as the pharmacy later told my Doctor it was not available in Canada. I will not bore you with the details, but after contacting a compounding pharmacy 12 hours from me, I discovered this was not the truth. This drug is absolutely available in Canada. However, it is not available at your regular pharmacy. You must obtain it from a Compounding Pharmacy. In our case it took a couple weeks for them to get it in and compound it.

We were told it tastes like chocolate as that masks the flavor of everything. Wrong. This stuff has to be the most vile tasting medicine in the world. I tasted the smallest amount on my finger, and it was equivalent to chewing an entire bottle of aspirin and then swishing. However, it is only a single dose.

Zahra being older, and more trusting of us, it wasn't as nearly the painful experience as her other treatments. The reward (big buttered piece of bread - yes, she still loves her bread!) was worth swallowing this for.

Within a few days, we started to notice changes in her stools and eventually her belly came down.

She lost 1.75" around her waist, which is a considerable amount for her 21" inch belly!

She also now eats a fraction (1/2) of what she used to eat in the orphanage a year and a half ago, but yet has literally grown through 2 clothing sizes within 3 months of being treated (50% to 78% on the growth percentile chart)!

*Update - Baby 'B', who first charted under the growth scale, was finally charting at 15% after one year (and a lot of effort on the parent's end). However, within 3 weeks of being successfully treated, he gained enough weight and height (3.5 cms!!) to be charting at the 35% mark!

In many of our visits and work with orphanages, we always wondered how on earth those babies could eat SO much, but yet remain so tiny! It all makes sense now... malabsorption. Food literally going to waste.

So there you have it, our poop diaries.

I hope this post will not only help you identify possible infection, but save you time and grief as well. Please, have your child tested 3 times upon returning to country. Giardiasis is typically not fatal, but many other parasite infection are and can also go undetected.

If your child is 3+ and has been diagnosed with Giardiasis, don't be afraid to ask for Tinidazole right from the start.

Baby 'B' was 2 yrs old and therefore was prescribed Nitazoxanide (Alinia).

I know poop isn't a glamorous topic, but it's important that we share this information. I couldn't find any blog posts on this topic when we were going through this, which is why it was important to me to write about it.

This is an important issue, one that all adopting parents should know about! Please share this with your adopting friends.

See the CDC page for information on how to minimize the risk of contracting and spreading Giardia infection.

NAC - Not YET operating.

As many of you may already know, LAN (Little Angels Network) has been contacting their partner agencies across the globe, confirming the the reappointment of the committee, however a Chairperson has not yet been appointed. This needs to be done before the NAC can convene their new meeting. They are hopeful that this will happen soon. 

It is important for all those waiting, to know that there is now a back log. In the past, we have always been told that the NAC processes 20-24 cases a month. It is unclear if the NAC will be holding extra meetings to make up for the missed ones in 2013 or not. Either way, you can expect delays in application approvals. It may take several months for your dossier to be seen by the NAC. 

Expect the worst, hope for the best. or....

NAC disbanding/reformation Gazetted!

I went offline for the holidays, so I'm a little late bringing you the news. Hopefully you have all heard by now. On December 27th, 2013 the disbanding and reformation of the NAC has been Gazetted. This means it is now official and international adoptions can now resume. I'm so happy for many of you who can now approach the New Year with hope reinstated!

Page: 5610

GAZETTE NOTICE No. 15638

THE CHILDREN ACT

(No. 8 of 2001)

REVOCATION OF APPOINTMENT

IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred by section 155(1) and the Ninth Schedule to the Children Act, the Cabinet Secretary for Labour, Social Security and Services revokes the appointment of—

Under Paragraph (b)—

John Ondeche*

Anthony Mulongo*

Mary Musyoka*

Under Paragraph (c)—

Christopher Maina (Dr)*

Under Paragraph (d)—

Loice Mutai*

Under Paragraph (e)—

Faith Waigwa (Dr.)*

as members of the Adoption Committee, with effect from the 30th September,2013.

Dated the 17th December, 2013.

S. K. KAMBI,

Cabinet Secretary for Labour, Social Security and Services.

*G.N. 13475/2011.

Page: 5610

GAZETTE NOTICE No. 15639

THE CHILDREN ACT

(No. 8 of 2001)

APPOINTMENT

IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred by section 155(1) and the Ninth Schedule to the Children Act, the Cabinet Secretary for Labour, Social Security and Services appoints —

Under Paragraph (a)—

Ahmed Hussein

Under Paragraph (b)—

Saad Khairallah

Benson Nasongo

Anne Kyoya

Leah Mamicha

Under Paragraph (c)—

Poly Okello

Under Paragraph (d)—

Zipporah Gatheru

Under Paragraph (e)—

Rose Mbanya

Under Paragraph (f)—

Stella Orina

Under Paragraph (g)—

Mariam Adam

to be  members of the Adoption Committee for a period of three (3) years, with effect from the 1st November, 2013.

Dated the 17th December, 2013.

S. K. KAMBI,

Cabinet Secretary for Labour, Social Security and Services.

Another new Kenyan Adoption policy...

Many of you have likely already heard this, so this will not be new news.

Apparently you are now required to get an Exit Stamp from Immigration which acts as a 'No Objection to Depart.' If the stamp is not present in the child's passport, you cannot board your flight and people are saying that you will/could be detained.

 As I understand, once you have received your passport, you will be required to submit it to Immigration in order to get this stamp. It is not yet known what the timing or cost is.

If you have more information on this, please leave me a comment and I will update my information.

Adoption Conference / NAC update

Get yourself a cup of coffee and sit down to read the presentations that were given at last week's East Africa Adoption Conference.

To quickly summarize what I took out of my reading last night is they are trying to modify the adoption program to assist with the adoption of more boys. Girls are preferred in domestic adoption in Kenya (due to inheritance/cultural reasons), and currently girls are only permitted to be adopted by single females. (Although, we have seen medical exceptions.) It looks like they may be changing the ruling on the single female adoptions to allow the adoption of boys as well. Good news!

Another subject I was happy to see was the presentation given about attachment. As adopting parents in the Western World, we read and read and take classes on this. However, this is a fairly new concept in Africa, and I don't mean 'attachment' in itself is new - I mean education and attachment therapy. One example would be their preference for the child to have their own bed, and how we as parents feel like we have to 'skirt' around this issue, because we 'co-sleep' with our children to build attachment.

In other good news, I have to make an Edit to my last post. I gave the wrong link for the Gazette. The issues are posted to the web frequently. The link for the updated issues are here. I cannot currently get this link to work, but I do know it was working before, so I believe they may be doing maintenance on the page.

Nothing has been published about the NAC yet, but we are told to watch for the November 29th issue, this Friday.

Hopefully, this is week will mark the end of this delay, and you all can get back to actively 'waiting'. Adoption does have a way of fine tuning ones patience. I don't know about you, but 2012 was the year I discovered my first grey hair. It's fitting I suppose.

A 'Hopeful' NAC Update

My last update explained that the NAC could not reappointed until it had been announced in the Gazette that it was disbanded. (It can't be official unless it is published as I understood.)

However, this week, we were hearing that we should be watching the Kenya Gazette for news on the reappointment of the Committee. Leaving us wonder about the disbanding publication.

The Kenya Gazette is published online. The paper is published every Friday, and believed to be available from the Government printers.

*** Today, I heard from 2 sources, that Mr. Hussein himself has said the NAC HAS BEEN REAPPOINTED and will be published soon in the Gazette. Yes, this is hearsay, and I realize that information can be lost in translation - but 2 sources (coinciding with previous information) is good enough for me publish it. I know you all could use some good news right about now.

I know there are many for you who were hoping to be in Kenya before Christmas. I know how hard it is to keep missing these dates, and being left waiting, and wondering. For all of you, I will leave you with this.

Have a great weekend!

 

 

Another NAC update

Facts we have learned this week.

The Children's Department has moved to the NSSF building, C block, 5th floor. Apparently, this is just opposite of the Milimani Courts, and the building is under renovations, so it is a bit of a task to locate the offices.

We know that Family Court is proceeding as normal.

Families who are stuck, unable to get their COC's, have been told by their embassies that the disbanding of the NAC is not 'official' as it is not yet pronounced in the Kenyan Gazette, therefor, there is not a whole lot they can do yet.

If you have any information, please feel free to share it in the comments below.

Kenya Adoption Update

We have not gathered much more new information.

We do know that families who have been to the Children's Department are being told that they cannot get a COC (certificate of conformity) because the NAC no longer exists. These families are being caught in a very difficult position. Legal parents of their Kenyan children after passing court, but unable to obtain visas etc. to go home to their countries without the COC.

IF something is not resolved in these cases, these families will need to start contacting their countries political offices and embassies to have their embassies make an exception.

We have reports that family court is processing adoptions as usual.

I really want to spread messages of hope, and not fear. However, I think it is important that while being hopeful for the best, we are preparing for the worst.

I want to draw your attention to a few news articles that may or may not be an indicator of what is happening, or may or may not reflect the current political tone.

Kenyan Parliament Votes to Withdraw from Hague

Where does this leave international adoptions if Kenya is no longer a member of the Hague?
Could the current NAC disbanding be influenced by the movement to withdraw from the Hague?

PBO Act to cut Foreign Funding of Non Profits/Societies

The Adoption Societies only get paid a couple hundred dollars to perform local adoptions, most of their funding comes from international adopters.

Please don't jump off that boat yet. This has not happened yet... but we need to keep our eyes and ears open.

Please help us compile information. If you have information, please email me, FB message me or leave a comment.

Disbanding the NAC - New information

We have received new information this morning. We are seeing notices of Approvals and Deferrals from Danish, Swedish, Italian, and Finnish families. Specifically with LAN, and KCH. We have not heard from any KKPI clients yet. These approvals are from September. There was indeed a meeting in September.

We have also received confirmation from the press that the NAC was disbanded on September 30th. You can read about it here.  What does this mean? I really don't know. They have left us hanging in this article, and information to/from agencies is not very forthcoming.

We have also received word about an East African Adoption Conference in Kenya, in November. You can read about it here. The focus of the conference appears to be raising awareness about local (domestic) adoption and mainstreaming the process. This is great news... but again, where does that leave international adoptions - I don't know.

I am hopeful however, that upcoming changes could be very advantageous to the process. We all know they could easily shorten the residency with a few simple changes.

For those who are on the edge of their seats waiting to hear news, please consider joining our 'Adopt Kenya' Facebook group. For confidentiality reasons, it is only for Moms currently in process (or previously) adopting from Kenya. This means you must be home study approved, and working on your dossier at the very least.

Kenya adoption - Breaking news

It has been confirmed this morning that the National Adoption Committee (NAC) has been disbanded.

There have been no meetings in September or October, 2013 and it unknown at this time when the committee will be reconstituted.

The new Government is currently restructuring.

"When I took office about two months ago, I promised that we will radically change the way the Government operates so that it is able to deliver efficient and effective services to the people. That journey has begun with our restructuring of Government ministries and the naming of Cabinet Secretaries. These secretaries have been tasked with the responsibility of implementing our development agenda across all sectors of our economy."

Kenyatta as quoted here.

We are seeing a new change within immigration and the issuance of passports. They are no longer issuing Kenyan passports to adopted children who do not have a birth certificate (most).

"Immigration Dept. stated that they have been "interpreting the law" incorrectly by giving adopted children passports since their citizenship is unknown.  What they are now issuing is Identity Papers (which is just a piece of paper with their picture on it)."

For some countries, this will not affect your process as your governments will accept this document. For those of us who need Kenyan passports to fly on, you will now need to obtain a court order (confirmation from courts of citizenship) for passport issuance.

This is not a large deal, but could tack on an extra few weeks to your residency.
Let's hope that Kenyatta's restructuring is for the best, and it manages to weed out some of the corruption.

I am sad for you in process, but urge you to hang on to hope.

I am disappointed by the Governments (depts/agencies) lack of communication. The Kenyan way is to not be the bearer of any bad news... which seems to affect the flow of communication.

This is unfortunate news, but what is worse is to allow those in process to believe that their dossiers have been submitted, and that meetings have taken place, and that they are all waiting for word of approval. Leaving these families on the edge of their seats. every. day.

This is wrong. It is much easier to 'know' the truth and deal with the facts rather than not knowing.

I hope this changes in the future. Notices should be made on all websites, media and notices followed down the lines of agencies.

Hang in there everyone!

Your home - now what? Post adoption responsibilities.

Unless your child has pressing health issues, I suggest just hanging low, hunkering down and getting settled in. Allow your new little one to get comfortable in their new surroundings. And, of course you need to sleep off some jet lag and get your head back in the game.

Just when you thought all the paperwork is beyond you - not quite. I know... go ahead, kick something.

You'll want to bookmark this, because you will be lacking sleep and operational brain cells when you get home. You'll need someone to hold your hand through this....

First thing to do is to apply to your Provincial Health Care Provider to 'change' your account to add your new child.

Second thing is to fill out the Canadian Citizenship Certificate Preparation Form to have them send you the Citizenship Certificate. Note - you do require a passport photo.

Thirdly - you need to apply to the Federal Government to start receiving your Universal Child Care Benefit. The benefit will be back dated from the date you started fostering the child.

Last, but not least, once you get your certificate, you can apply for a passport.

If you have not already done so, by at least the 2 month mark of your entry to Canada, you want to start making appointments for check ups and assessments. (By now you should have your Health Card. IF you need to see a Dr. prior to receiving your card, you can call the Health Dept and ask for your number, or you can pay cash and be reimbursed later.)

Start by taking your little one to a family Doctor. Preferably of African descent, or someone with experience in Africa. Your Dr. will go over the history (be sure to bring all the medical records you have!), and concerns etc. Ears, throat, eyes, heart and lungs will be checked. Be sure you relay the following to your Doctor:

Important Information for Your Child’s Doctor

(Excerpt from healthychildren.org)

Children adopted internationally often have lived in conditions of poverty with limited nutrition, limited stimulation, various traumatic events, and environmental and infectious disease hazards. As such, a comprehensive evaluation is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to evaluate for diseases that may be present, with no initial signs or symptoms.

Below is a list of testing that is recommended for children adopted internationally, regardless of the absence of symptoms or test results from the child’s birth country.

Growth and Nutritional Issues

• Measure length, height, weight (unclothed), and head circumference (for ALL children). Use standard CDC or WHO growth charts to determine growth percentiles.
• Growth should be monitored with further work-up done if there is not catch-up growth by 6 months after arrival in the home.
• CBC to evaluate for anemia, blood disorders. Hemoglobin electrophoresis should be done for children at risk for hemoglobinopathies.
• Lead level for environmental risks.
• TSH (in some countries the soil is deficient of iodine).
• Newborn metabolic screen up to 2 years.

Infectious Diseases

• PPD or currently recommended testing for tuberculosis exposure (this should be done even if the child was immunized with the BCG vaccine; please refer to the Red Book for more information)
• Hepatitis B virus serologic testing: Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)
• Hepatitis C virus serologic testing
• HIV serologic testing
• Testing for tuberculosis, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV should be repeated after the child has been home 6 months. (Some children may not respond initially if the incubation period is inadequate or if they are malnourished.)
• Syphilis serologic testing: RPR or VDRL, and FTA-ABS or TPPA
• Stool examination for ova and parasites (3 recommended, best collected 48 hours apart) with specific request for Giardia and Cryptosporidium testing
• Stool bacterial culture (if diarrhea present)
• Serologic testing for other parasites such as Trypanosoma cruzi, lymphatic filariasis, Strongyloides, Schistosoma species may be indicated for certain children
• Evaluate immunization status by checking antibody titers for vaccines previously given (eg, diphtheria, tetanus, polio neutralizing titers) OR repeat immunizations. (Exceptions may include children from foster homes in Korea.)

So, you should be leaving the office with some requisition forms for these tests. You want to be sure that you also get a requisition for parasite screening for yourself and any other family members.

Parasite testing is extremely important! Parasites can cause irreparable damage. I do not know of one child from Africa without at least one parasite. They can test negative, and still be positive. If your child tests negative, it is recommended to be retested in a couple of weeks. Also, just because you have treated the parasite, does not mean it is gone. Retest and test. Yes, speaking from experience here.

Next, you want to contact your local Public Health Office. Tell them you have a newly adopted child and would like a general appointment to get his/her weight/length/head circumference documented and to speak with someone about other possible assessments that may be needed (ie. speech, dental, hearing etc.

If you have the blood work back and a vaccine history, then you can consult with your public health nurse about a recommended vaccine schedule.

Next, you will want a development assessment. Public Health or your SW should be able to refer you to the right early intervention department. Public Health may even be able to do an ASQ (Ages to Stages Questionnaire) at their office. Here in the Kootenays, it is within Kootenay Family Place. This is good to have EVEN if you think your child is on schedule. It's good to have it documented, and it will be used in your Post Placement Report.

In the Kenya program, Post Placement Reports are due every 3 months for 2 years, and every 6 months for the following 3 years. (First 2 years are overkill I think... but I appreciate their thoroughness.) This involves a Social Worker visiting, interviewing you and then sending a report to your local agency who then forwards it to Kenya.

There are many things on the list of items they are supposed to cover, so it would be super helpful (and important) that you have the following available.

1. Child's current vaccine card.
2. Growth Chart
3. Results from any and all blood/stool tests.
4. The Development assessment.

Nice to include:
5. Current photo of your child
6. Picture drawn by your child (will be great for comparison to the upcoming reports.)



Z's drawing. We are learning about circles - so this is what she likes to draw.

At first, I did think this was all overkill. Being a seasoned Mom, I know that Z is healthy and developing within the normal ranges (and in fact she is well over her avg. growth range.), so I didn't really feel this was necessary. However, I think it can only be beneficial to have this documented 'officially' by professionals, rather than just my opinion, and I am very curious what her development score will be.

We are behind in our appointments as we didn't know what was required (Why I am preparing you! I hate being behind the 8 ball!). I will report back with more details of the Public Health/ ASQ visits when they are through.

Good Luck, and Congratulations on bringing your little one home!

Exciting News!!

I have some great news to share with you... !

One of my hearts greatest desires while in Kenya, has come true. During our stay in Kenya, I had the opportunity to meet and get to know some of the greatest children. My heart was heavy for them as I knew they would never have the opportunity to have a forever family.

While Hannah taught me so much about Kenya and the orphan crisis, I was able to put a little seed in her heart. You see, she didn't know much about adoption, and didn't think much about it either. Could parents actually love and care for a child that isn't theirs they way they could a biological child? And what about a child of a different race?

Adoption is not as socially acceptable in Kenya as it is in other parts of the world. If a child was adopted, it was kept a secret.

It wasn't until Hannah met us and our other Canadians friends when she saw the bond and love that we shared with our children, before she realized that adoption can actually work. She believe that God has used us to open her eyes and her heart, and now she is ready to let go of the children she loves so dearly because she can see how much brighter their lives can be in a forever family.

Before I left for Kenya, I spoke with the board members of Mogra about the possibility of becoming licensed for adoption. Hannah and I visited and observed the operations of the largest Orphanage in Kenya, who has successfully adopted 1400 (as I recall, may have been more) children. They way I saw it, adoption brings about 3 benefits. First, as much as any orphanage can provide for a child, they simply cannot give a child what a forever family can. They can't give them a Mom and Dad at the dinner table, an arm to walk them down the isle, a home to go home to for the holidays... security in a place to call home and know they will forever belong and be loved... etc. In addition to this, if we are really in this business to save children, there is no better way to save more than to facilitate the ones we have to Forever Families, to make room for more children. When I was in Kenya, people were literally banging on the Mogra door pleading them to take more kids. Babies who had nowhere to go. Mogra only has so much room, and as things were with 4 babies to a crib... many children were turned down. The equation is simple then... the more children adopted out, the more children they can welcome in and literally save! As a bonus to this all, adoption will raise awareness to all the other programs they are struggling with, like the Mogra Star School and their feeding program... assisting children in the slums.

So I guess you have figured out where I am going with this?

Mogra is now licensed to adopt!

Even more exciting, they have actually just adopted out the first baby! As many of you who have been to Mogra, will know Teddy. 11 months now, Teddy is always a happy baby and one of the favorites. Teddy has been adopted by an American family who currently reside in Kenya. They are head over heels for Teddy, and from the photos, I can tell that Teddy is very much enjoying his new family!

And if you don't think God has hand in these matches, or believe in fate... Teddy's first name is the same as his adopted Father and Grandfather!

Teddy got the ball rolling, and since then, Rose (Teddy's crib mate) has also been adopted by a local Kenyan family and many other have been referred and are just waiting for their families to come to Kenya! I simply cannot tell you what a smile this puts on my face, when I think of these babies in families!

To keep up on the latest news from Mogra, please join their facebook page and help us raise awareness to the great work they are doing!

Home Sweet Home

We are home!

Just a few days shy of 8 months since we stepped on Kenyan soil, we landed back home on Canadian soil!

A gaggle of family and friends eagerly waiting our arrival. Posters and balloons in hand, and all wearing the same 'Adoption Rocks' t-shirts.

The cousins waiting. Blurry, unfortunately (haven't rec'd photos from family members yet)...
but it gives you an idea what was waiting for us.

First impression?

As I looked around at the vast Albertan landscape on the drive home, I felt like I could breathe. I mean the deep, deep breath kind of breathe. Fresh, clean air. Wide open spaces, clean and garbage free. I didn't realize how I missed this, and how clean and fresh it feels.

Secondly, I went through a weird depression a few days after being back. Thoughts of 'What am I doing here?!'. Feeling like my life here in Canada is really quite pointless, considering the difference that one can make in Kenya and the potential to help others. I felt like I was in a halfway world, neither here nor there, and I wasn't really interested in talking about Kenya. I felt like no one would understand what we saw and the experiences we had and I didn't have to energy or desire to explain that. Of course walking around in our small 'white' town with a cute little Kenyan is not very inconspicuous, which made things a bit difficult. People are curious and ask questions, and I did my best to dodge any eye contact to avoid all the 'explaining'.

Well, I think I might have been a wee bit tired. 4 hours of sleep in 50 hours.

A couple weeks later, and it seems like our lives are right back on track, and sometimes it feels like we never left. Surreal; a dream. I am happy to meet people and share our story now. In fact, because of Zahra, we have met a lot of new people! Needless to say, I think I almost know every other 'black' person in town! Jamaican, Brazilian, African... awesome!

How did Zahra travel?

We left Nairobi at 11pm. 8.5 hour flight, 12 hour layover followed by another 8.5 hour flight. She did absolutely fantastic! There was only one minor melt down in London, when she taking 'a walk' with Daddy because she (understandably) was getting a bit cranky at the dinner table. Well she threw quite a tamprum for Mommy during this walk. He was sure that by the way she was screaming, everyone in the airport would surely think that he was kidnapping her. But it's Heathrow... everyone seems preoccupied. Mommy to the rescue, she settled down in a few minutes and was happy to snuggle up for a nap.

She loved the airplane, the food, the drinks, the movie screen. It really helped that we boarded with her carseat, which elevated her to a level that made viewing the movie possible. (Those screens tip up, not down.) The carseat also helped her sleep comfortably. I really recommend the carseat on the plane! (Make sure you get a transport bag with wheels for it though!)

Are we happy to be back?

Hands down, this is the most frequent question we get and I don't think I answer it the way everyone expects. Sure, I am happy to be home to my cushy life of soft beds and couches, dishwasher, front loader, vehicle, lovely parks, reliable internet and power, garden, clean mountain air, ice maker, long hot showers, deep freeze, Costco.... and yes, I could go on and on. However, we do miss the simplicity of life in Kenya and the ability to easily assist and make a difference. We miss our Kenyan friends and yep, we miss having coffee on our balcony, watching the African sun come up (or go down in with a cold Tusker in hand!)  I miss hanging laundry and my husband misses how well dressed everyone was. We miss the Kenyan greeting... Kenya is our home away from home, and yes, we will be back.

I have so much blogging to do and so many stories and photos to share with you all. With reliable internet and power, (and a computer that works!) I should have no excuses.

Let the credits roll....

As we have come to the end of this journey, we owe a great deal of you a 'Thank you', or as we say in Kenya, 'Asante'.

Starting from the beginning,

First and most importantly, thank you to all who believed in our dream and supported us.

Thank you to...

... those who gave us an ear for our vents and celebrations as we rode that adoption rollercoaster.

... those who supported our Good Works Bracelet sales.

... those who gave or lent us suitcases and those who helped us pack up the house.

... those 3 families who lovingly fostered our dog, cats and turtles for 8 months.

... to my sister who threw us a good bye/ baby shower the night before we left.

... to those who hosted my husband when he had to come back to Canada. Those who fed him a good meal, and those who gave him a soft place to crash.

... to friends and family who sent Christmas gifts, cards and stockings plum full so the kids could experience a very blessed Christmas morning.

... to my Mom, Sue and Uncle Eric for visiting us in Kenya. It really meant more to us than you know!

... to those Angels who sent clothing, hockey sticks, socks and crocs, cash donations for the orphanage, each time my husband returned.

... to those who supported our 'Mogra Baby House Fundraiser' by way of purchasing a necklace, bag or cash donations/

... to the kids' school for organizing cards for the kids, a classroom skype across the world, collecting donations and assisting us with our homeschooling.

... to those who met us at the airport with wide arms, waiting to welcome us all. To my sister, (once again!) for organizing it all! You are amazing!

... to those who lovingly stocked our fridge and pantry with essentials upon our arrival. Honestly, this was the greatest gift ever!

... to those who shower love on our new addition, making her feel loved and welcome.

... to those who are at our beck and call to help ease us in our transition. Dinners, help with our yard work, clothing and gifts for Zahra.... etc.

... and last but not least, to you my blog readers and cyber friends for sticking with us, and your encouraging comments over the years.

This was a combined effort. We could not have done it without you all! (or at the very least, we would have become mentally unstable! ;)

ASANTE SANA!!

THANK YOU!!

Here are some photos since we have been home.

Getting acquainted with 'Home'.

Canada's newest citizen!

Srunchy nose, cucumber eaten smile.

Holding a baby chick!

PS. (Those of you who follow our facebook page, know that I do keep it updated daily. If you want to see more photos of Z, head over to the FB page, where you can get the daily details of what Z is up to, and how she is enjoying her Canadian life. Otherwise, I have every intention of becoming more a frequent blogger again. Honestly. ;)

Introducing our daughter, Zahra Thompson!

On May 10th, we passed court and this little one was officially named our daughter!

I must admit, the moment it happened was a bit anti-climatic.

I prepared for 2 days. Doing Z's hair, purchasing a gift for her and picking out the right clothes for everyone to wear.

When we arrived at the court house, we quickly noticed that we were only 1 of 3 families who chose to be present for their hearing. (It is an option for the judgement, which seems a bit crazy to me...). The families who were attending, got precedents and were heard first. We actually were the very first case!

Between cries from a little one, and intermittent chatter from the two toddlers in the room, we strained to hear the judge who speaks barely above a whisper. I heard our case being called, a few mumbles and then with a slamming of our file on the desk, he said 'I have no objections to this application..'... and that was it. No trumpets being played, no applause, no gavel being struck... and no confetti. He simply moved on to the next case.

When our lawyer's cases had all been heard, he motioned us to leave the room. Outside, Dan looked at me and asked what happened. He had no idea when or even if they made judgement!

At home we had a little celebration, gave Z a special little necklace and a matching one for her sister (early birthday present). We took some photos, and then went out for dinner with some friends.

While she has felt like ours since the day we brought her home, it's a big relief to legally be her parents.

We are now working on getting the necessary documents to apply for Z's passport, followed by her visa. Our flights are scheduled for the 18th of June.

Canada we are coming home!

Court date #2 - and what to expect from the in country adoption process in Kenya

We were completely taken by surprise this week, when I received a call from our lawyer on Thursday morning with amazing news. (I was actually out on a child rescue with Mogra when he called). After waiting 63 days from our first court date, our report was finally filed by the Children's Department and he was able to secure a court date for us. (From what I understand, court dates need to be filed by Wednesday of every week.) To our complete amazement, he was able to secure our hearing for Friday (26th). Short notice, but we were sure happy!!

The Canadian family that is a month ahead of us, has had a difficult time with their case. The judge has been making an issue of Canadian adoption and immigration laws with them, so we were really on edge.

Accompanying us in court, was the Guardian Ad Litem, the agency's social worker and a representative from the Children's department. One at a time, they all rose when they were called and stated that they have done interviews, home visits etc., and find it in the child's best interest to be adopted by us.

The judge then asked the clerk to schedule our final court date (the judgement). This is where my nerves started to fizzle. (We had a hell of time getting an extension for our visas, and was only able to obtain a 2 month extension, meaning we need to be out of the country by the 23rd of June.) The clerk started to flip through his calendar... and said," May 10th."

 May 10th!!!!

It actually took me a second to realize that was only in 2 weeks. Amazing. All I can say, is that our lawyer is AMAZING. We have always heard wonderful things about him... and I realize now how well regarded he is and how he manages to get things done.

We are looking at 4 weeks after our judgment to get all of the necessary paperwork, passport and visa to take Zahra home. So, realistically... mid June! We cannot wait to introduce you all to this spunky little girl. Everyday she amazes us with something new. She is blossoming so much... so completely different than the little girl we first met 6 months ago.

As far as the in country adoption process here - I have an amazing write up, done by a fellow adoptive parent. I wish I had this prior to coming here... we were really in the dark about the process.

On another note... I was told by our agency that there are 2 Canadian families that were just recently sent referrals. Who are you?? Please contact me!! If any adopting family is looking for an affordable 3 bedroom apartment (in new, safe compound close to Runda) to move in to.. let me know. We plan to be out by June 15th.

Procedures and protocol for International Adoption in Kenya

November 2012

 

Please note that the information below is a compilation based on formal documents produced by the four adoption societies in Kenya and legal texts by various departments, institutions and ministries of the Government of Kenya. Although the facts below have been cleared by a law enforcement professional in Nairobi and there might be some differences from case to case depending on the current situation in Kenya.

 

 

•         Once you have arrived in Kenya and been greeted by one of the four Adoption Societies which exists in Kenya and which your Adoption Organization at home has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with, standard procedures is that you will visit the child at the orphanage between 2-6 days before you are allowed to take the child with you (this depends on the rules of each orphanage). Your Adoption Society in Kenya will also appoint one of their social workers who will be your contact person during your stay in Kenya.

•         Once you have received the child from the orphanage and signed the Care Agreement with your Adoption Society in Kenya you are formally legally fostering the child for 90 days. Please remember to ALWAYS carry the Care Agreement with you in case someone stops you and wants to see that you have legal justification to care for the child. You have the right by law to only show the care agreement to a law enforcement professional i.e. if a civil person ask you to show proof of association with the child you do not have to do so.

•         During the 90 days the Adoption Society which you belong to will suggest a Kenyan lawyer and a Guardian Ad Litem to you. The Guardian Ad Litem is usually a retired social worker. Standard procedures are that the lawyer and the Guardian Ad Litem will contact you during the 90 days and plan for the 1^st Hearing in High Court which will only take place after the initial 90 days of fostering. You can also contact the Guardian Ad Litem yourself and invite her/him to meet with you and the child before the 1^st Hearing, so that you get to know each other before the 1^st Hearing.

•         The sole purpose of the 1^st Hearing is for a judge of the High Court to formally appoint the Guardian ad Litem as the Government of Kenya´s representative to undertake a home study of your family.

Please remember to always dress formally (no sandals, jeans etc.) while meeting with your lawyer, Children´s Department, appearing in High Court etc.

•         After the 1^st Hearing there is a suggested standard 45 days period before the 2^nd Hearing should take place. During the 45 days the Guardian Ad Litem normally visits you at home a few times to write a so called home study report. This report is very similar to the one which the authorities in your home country have already carried out so it can be quite useful to give the Guardian Ad Litem a copy of this report from your home country.

•         During the same period of time, your lawyer is to contact the government´s body dealing with international adoption i.e. the Children´s Department (CD). CDs role is to appoint one of their officers to be responsible for your case and your lawyer will make an appointment for you to meet with the officer at the CD. This meeting/ interview usually take up to 2 hours and you are not to bring your child/en along with you. Once again it can be quite useful to bring a copy of the report with you from your home country. The officer at the CD should already have a copy of this report, and should have read up on its content to be familiar with your family background. This might not always be the case. To come well prepared to the interview it is very useful in advance to list down for each parent the name of your Primary School (grundskola), Secondary School (gymnasium) incl, University and what year you finished each of these, including the titles of your various positions and what each of them enfolds. Before you leave the meeting at CD you should have agreed upon a date when the officer will visit you in your home. It is good if you ensure that this visit takes place as soon as possible after the meeting/ interview. Please remember to ensure that you have the mobile number of the officer, in case you need to call them at a later stage.

The purpose of the home visit is for the officer of the CD to have a close look at your home arrangements and see where the child sleeps and eats, as well as security, sanitation, clothes and water supply in your home.

•         After the home visit, the officer of the CD and your Guardian Ad Litem will each write a report which your lawyer will collect and hand in together with many other documents to the High Court. Your lawyer will then make an appointment with the High Court for a 2^nd Hearing.

•         The purpose of the 2^nd Hearing is for your lawyer to present to the judge ALL documents collected so far. The judge can according to the Kenyan adoption procedures already give you a judgment at the 2^nd Hearing. This is however very unusual. Most common is that IF ALL papers are in order the judge will give you a new date for when the Judgment will be read out. This can take anything from 2 weeks to several months, all depending on which judge you get.

•         Once you have the date for Judgment, please insist to your lawyer that you want to attend the Judgment in the High Court. This is not necessary but in the case the judge has several judgments to read out and not enough time, he/she will in most cases prioritize those families who are there that day.

•         Because this is towards the end of your time in Kenya and MANY documents now have to be organized BEFORE you can go home it is a good idea to ask for a meeting with your lawyer to sit down and do a time schedule for what dates you can expect the remaining papers to be ready by and what is expected from your lawyer and what is expected from you.

Also, you can ask your lawyer to see a draft of the Adoption Order to make sure that the content is correct and no misspellings are done. Please NOTE that it is crucial that you during the remaining period read through every document meticulously to avoid any misspellings, as this can seriously prolong your stay in the country.

Please note that it can be very useful after you have had the meeting with your lawyer and you have a tentative time schedule ready, to check with the airline, which you have your return ticket with, that they have seats available for those dates you are planning to go home. At least try to make a tentative booking. This is extra important if you are planning to go home during peak season.

•         On the day of the Judgment the lawyer based on the content of the Judgment goes back to his/her office and writes the final version of the Adoption Order and hands it in to the High Court for the signature of the Deputy Registrar. The protocol says that this should take not more than 5 working days.

•         When the Adoption Order has been signed by the Deputy Registrar the lawyer collects the Adoption Order and hands it in to the Office of the Registrar General to get a Certificate of Entry in the Adopted Children’s Register. The protocol says that this should take not more than 7 working days.

•         On the 8^th day in the morning (or any day before that) your lawyer will pick up the Certificate of Entry in the Adopted Children’s Register. You shall now meet your lawyer to get a copy of the Adoption Order and the Certificate of Entry in the Adopted Children’s Register, these two copies MUST now be certified (stamped and signed) by your lawyer to ensure to the Children´s Department that they are real copies. Your lawyer will keep the 2 originals and hand them into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be stamped. The protocol says that this should take not more than 24 hrs. 

•         At the same time you must take the certified copies of the Adoption Order and the Certificate of Entry in the Adopted Children’s Register and hand them in to the Children´s Department. Please call your officer at the CD a few days in advance alerting him/her that you most likely will be able to hand in all the documents requested by a certain date, just to make sure that they are available when you come.

Also, ask you lawyer for a copy of the form which you need to fill in to apply for the Certificate of Conformity aka Hague article 23. Upon request, you lawyer can assist you in filling in the application form. Please bring with you in a nice folder the following documents when visiting the CD:

•         The application form for Certificate of Conformity aka Hague article 23

•         Adoption Order

•         Certificate of Entry in the Adopted Children’s Register

•         Copy of your passport/s

•         Copy of Freeing Certificate. Your lawyer should have this document, if not, ask your Kenyan Adoption Society to give it to you

•         Copy of Approval Letter by the National Adoption Committee (NAC). Your lawyer should have this document, if not, ask your Kenyan Adoption Society to give it to you

•         Copy of Certificate of the Consent by the Social Welfare Committee of your home country. You should have this paper with you from your home country when you come out to Kenya

•         Certificate of Conformity aka Hague Article 23

Please note that the Certificate of Conformity aka Hague Article 23 has to be signed by two officials i.e. the Director for Children´s Department Mr. Ahmed Hussein Ahmed and the Chairman of NAC (National Adoption Committee) Ms. Faith Waigwa. The person at the Children´s Department in charge of writing the Certificate of Conformity aka Hague Article 23 will also ensure to get the two signatures above.                              

•         Once you have all the documents above you can now apply for Swedish (or any other) travel document for your child. If you would like for your child to also have a Kenyan passport, you can apply for this at the same time. Only remember that the Swedish Embassy in Nairobi accepts taking copies of the requested original documents listed below while you are at the embassy, while the Kenyan immigration authorities request the originals only and will keep the originals with them until the Kenyan passport for your child is ready to be picked up. It is advisable to ask an agent to assist with the Kenyan passport. This can be done within just a few days (express) or weeks (standard), depending on how much time you have. The express Kenyan passport costs more. Ask you agent what documents are needed to proceed with a Kenyan passport for your child.

One very efficient agent with a registered company assisting expats in Kenya is Ms. Rebecca Lusweti (mob: 070 311 96 81)

To get the Swedish travel document for your child, call the officer in charge of travel documents at the Swedish Embassy (mob: 0733 12 16 65) and ask for an appointment. You are requested to bring with you the following documents to the embassy:

 

•         Receipt of transfer/travel documents from CBA bank
Please call officer in charge of travel documents at the Swedish embassy and ask how much the current price of a travel document is. Then go to the Commercial Bank of Africa (CBA) and pay that amount. There is a branch of CBA at the Junction. Bring the receipt of this transfer to the Swedish Embassy.

•         Copy of Birth Certificate (if this document exists)

•         Adoption Order

•         Certificate of Conformity aka Hague Article 23

•         Parent/s passport. The embassy will take copies while you are there

•         3 new passport pictures of the child

•         You will also need to fill in a requested form from the Swedish tax authorities called:”Anmälan namn”. The Swedish embassy will give you a copy of this form.

            It can take anything from 1 to 3 days to get the Swedish travel document.

•         Once the Swedish travel document is ready you must get a stamp in it from the Kenyan Ministry of Immigration before you can leave Kenya. The easiest thing, once again, is to get an agent to assist you with this. It should only take, at the most, half a day. You must accompany the agent to the Ministry of Immigration. Please bring with you a copy of the child’s ticket and you need to fill in a form at the Ministry if Immigration to request for the stamp.

•         Before you are ready to leave Kenya, please ask your Adoption Society at home for a Letter of Approval, this document can be useful to have while leaving Kenya as well as entering your home country.

 

Good luck!

Info compiled by Mali Nilsson Nairobi November 2012