Who Can Adopt from Burkina Faso?

16
Feb

Burkina Faso4_credit neededBurkina Faso is MLJ Adoptions’ newest international adoption program and the second program offered for families interested in adopting a child from Africa. Burkina Faso is a country that is signatory to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention). As a Hague country, the adoption process has more advantages and safeguards in place for adoptive families. Burkina Faso implemented the Hague Convention in an effort to ensure adoptions are ethical and in the best interest of the children. Families drawn to adopt from Africa and who meet the criteria below should consider adopting from Burkina Faso.

  • Married heterosexual couples who have been married at least five years
  • One adoptive parent needs to be at least 30 years old and neither spouse is more than 53 years old
  • Adoptive parents must be at least 15 years older than the child
  • Childless couples, whether by choice or struggling with infertility issues
  • Couples with only one child in the home who have adopted previously from Congo, Ethiopia, Uganda or any other African country and wish to adopt another child from Africa to grow their families
  • Couples who have previously adopted a child from Haiti and are looking to expand their family through adoption
  • Couples who experience secondary infertility and wish to grow their family through adoption
  • Adoptive parents looking to adopt from Africa but still want stability in an adoption program afforded by the Hague convention
  • Only families with no children in the home can adopt two children

Since implementing the Hague Adoption Convention, Burkina Faso has successfully placed children with loving, permanent families in France and Italy. As a result, Burkina Faso’s experience with the adoption process is not a new one, but rather one of experience in placing children in need with potential prospective adoptive parents. Adoptive parents may specify age and gender of the child they wish to adopt and the Central Authority in Burkina Faso matches children in need with adoptive parents waiting on referrals. Burkina Faso takes the matching of adoptive parents with children in need very seriously. Adoptive parents are chosen depending on their requests of age and gender, when the dossier was received and age of the adoptive parents as compared to the child’s age, ensuring that the age difference is not excessive.

If you are looking to adopt and expand your family, consider Burkina Faso as an option. There are many children in need in Burkina Faso waiting on forever families. With Burkina Faso’s experience in adoptions and the fact that they are signatory to the Hague Adoption Convention, adoptive parents should consider a child in need from this country.

Photo Credit: Eric Montfort

Sonja Brown works as the International Program Director for MLJ Adoptions’ programs in Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti and Samoa. Sonja is also proud to work directly with our Individualized Country Program families who are adopting from countries where no adoption service providers currently operate.

Sonja Brown works as the International Program Director for MLJ Adoptions’ programs in Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti and Samoa. Sonja is also proud to work directly with our Individualized Country Program families who are adopting from countries where no adoption service providers currently operate.