by Beti Skehill, born in Ethiopia and adopted to Australia, co-founder of Ethiopian Adult Adoptees in Australia group, former ICAV VIC Representative.
Returning to your birth country can be incredibly daunting especially as an adult adoptee who doesn’t speak the language. For many years, I avoided returning to Ethiopia because I was anxious about navigating the country on my own, the emotional weight of the experience, and concerns around safety and the unknown prevented me from returning for 11 years.
Last year, everything changed when I learned about Emaye Adoptees Home in Addis Ababa. The house was originally funded by the French government but this stopped in 2023. Since then the house continues to be run by Rebecca, an Ethiopian adoptee and licensed psychologist based in France, alongside Biruk, a local Ethiopian. Knowing it is run by people who truly understand the adoptee and Ethiopian experience immediately made me feel hopeful and relieved.
At the time, I didn’t know any other Australian Ethiopian adoptees who had stayed there, but I decided to reach out via Instagram. That single step gave me the confidence to book my flight. I also reached out in my Facebook group, Ethiopian Adult Adoptees in Australia, and ended up connecting with two other adoptees Rahel and Beza who decided to travel with me and stay at the house as well. We barely knew each other beforehand, but we now share unforgettable memories and a lot of that is thanks to Emaye Adoptees Home.
From the moment I arrived, Emaye Adoptees Home made me feel safe, supported and understood. I learned how to navigate daily life in Ethiopia from payment systems to transportation and even picked up parts of the Amharic language through board games, dance nights, rooftop barbeques and casual conversation. Staff members like Abi work incredibly hard to ensure every guest feels comfortable and cared for, and it truly shows.
The home is located in Summit, Addis Ababa, conveniently close to both the airport and Bole. It has six bedrooms (four available for guests) and three bathrooms. Each morning, a delicious complimentary breakfast is prepared by staff and volunteers. There is also an optional airport pickup service, which made arriving after a long international flight far less stressful.
What makes Emaye truly special is the emotional and cultural support it offers. The house provides a safe, welcoming space for:
● connecting with biological family
● translation
● searching for biological family
● creating family trees
● dance lessons
● Amharic language lessons
● cultural learning (including cooking and Ethiopian etiquette)
● help with documents and navigating unfamiliar areas
● emotional support and counselling
Biological families are welcome to visit at any time and Ethiopian volunteers live in the house to help bridge cultural gaps. They are deeply sensitive to adoption related experiences and bring immense care and understanding.
This year I have returned to Emaye Adoptees Home and this time it is with my husband who is Caucasian. Once again, the team at Emaye Adoptees Home have gone above and beyond, helping us understand Ethiopian history, culture, and ensuring we feel safe and supported at every step. There have been moments when I felt unsure or embarrassed asking questions, but the volunteers always create a judgment free space. They have also agreed to support me in traveling to another part of Ethiopia that I’m less familiar with. This area is important to me but I haven’t been back in 12 years, so someone at the house has agreed to accompany us. They have also helped to organise flights and accommodation to ensure things run smoothly.
The house truly feels like home. I honestly cannot recommend Emaye Adoptees Home more highly. Whether it’s your first visit to Ethiopia or your hundredth, this place offers something invaluable: safety, understanding, connection, and belonging.
Information about Emaye Adoptees Home
Accommodates up to 6 adoptees at a time
Maximum stay: 6 months
Location: Addis Ababa, near the airport
Costs
Accommodation: €35 per night for a single or €55 per night for couples sharing a room
Translator: €20 per hour or €15 per hour for bookings over 5 hours
Airport pickup: €20
Yellow card facilitation: €50
Amharic classes: €15 per hour
Cooking classes: Free
Domestic flights: 20% discount on internal flights only
Eligibility
You can stay at the house if you are:
An adoptee
A friend of an adoptee
An adoptive parent
A biological parent
Contact Information
Instagram (primary contact method): https://www.instagram.com/emaye_adopteeshome
WhatsApp: +33 783 784 654 +251 995 500 051 +251 944 077 005
Email: Emmayeadopteesfamilyreunionaso@gmail.com
Emaye Adoptees Home is more than accommodation, it’s a lifeline, a community, and a place where adoptees are truly seen and supported in Ethiopia.
This post was originally shared on facebook in the Ethiopian Adult Adoptees in Australia group https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1C91QtcxaN/
Resources
Abandoned: its meaning and context (in Ethiopia)
The realities of adoption and reunion
Ethiopian birth families speak out as victims of illegal adoption (see 2nd video in this post)
Ethiopian adoptee anthology (Lions roaring far from home)
A life has been lived before adoption
Life lessons from an Ethiopian adoptee
Webinar: Lived experience of racism in transracial intercountry adoption (includes Ethiopian adoptee as panelist)