Foreign Adoptions – Living Conditions in Orphanages

Madonna also publicized a fight to take official ownership of her son from Malawi. Even though the financial struggles of adoption are not present in celebrities, they have used their popularity to teach the world how international adoption is their preference.

Living conditions in orphanages of foreign countries are often below standard. Infants are often ignored for long periods of time and miss the crucial bonding time after birth. Children in orphanages live in crowded rooms with neglect and suffer physical issues such as malnurishment and nonexistent oral hygeine.

Diseases often run rampant within orphanages and because the countries are so poor, there is no medical care. In orphanages, there is often no clean water, no acceptable sanitation and no proper housing. Children there do not get their own bed but are often crowded in small spaces together or sleep on the floor.

These living conditions are broadcast to people via the Internet and on television. There are hundreds of websites that promote foreign adoptions with sad images and statistics from around the world.

You may remember Sally Struthers on the television pleading for money to be sent to starving children in Ethiopia. Images of malnourished children with flies on their faces filled the television screen while a 1-800 number flashed below for your call.

The advertisements like this don't exist anymore but there are ambassadors and philanthropists behind the scenes trying to get funding for overseas orphanages. They try to get money that will educate, feed and clothe the underpriveleged children abroad.

You may have heard people comment, “Why adopt from another country when we should take care of our own”.

Most orphaned children in the US and Canada are well cared for in foster homes or orphanages. This is not to say that they do not deserve to be adopted. However, in many poorer parts of the world, the children are not as fortunate. Their chances of being adopted by anyone in the surrounding area is slim to none. The orphanages are way over crowded and they don’t get the love that they deserve.

It is often the older children who wait and wait, however, that fact generally holds true in most countries. Orphanages are overflowing with children who are unwanted and who will probably never have parents.

So, whether you choose domestic or foreign adoptions, ultimately, you should make the decision that is right for you. Pros and Cons of International and Domestic Adoption. The final choice is yours to make.

**Side Note: Statistically most adoptions are done from the various state's child welfare systems (about 60% of all adoptions). About 25% are International and the rest are domestic infant.

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