Ukrainian Orphans

Some statistics that I came across. Those of you following Ukrainian adoptions will know this, but it is interesting anyway.

In a country where the average standard of living has decreased by 80% over the last 18 years, poverty and sickness are brought on by the inability to provide adequate nutrition and healthcare. Least able to fend for themselves are the children who are have been abandoned and orphaned.

90% are orphaned due to alcoholism, abandonment or imprisonment of the parent
10% are orphans because of death of parents
There are over 450 orphanages in Ukraine
There are over 100,000 children in Ukraine orphanages and an estimated 100,000 more children on the streets because the orphanages are full
10% of orphans commit suicide after leaving the orphanage before their 18th birthday
60% of the girls end up in prostitution
70% of the boys end up in crime
Only 27% are able to find work

This is from an official notice put out by the SDA in October 2008.

Analysis of the numbers of children available for inter-country adoptions according to their age and health condition (based on the information from the central data bank as of September 1, 2008)

Age of children <> Number of children (% from the total number)
Health condition : Healthy or with correctable medical issues <> Serious health problems

Under 3 years old <> 551 (2,6 %) 0 <> 551
3 – 5 years old <> 1324 (6,1 %) 109 <> 1215
6 – 11 years old <> 5408 (24,9 %) 3011 <> 2397
12 – 17 years old <> 14418 (66,4 %) 11337 <> 3081

Total 21701 (100,0 %) 14457 <> 7244

Wow! That is a lot of orphans. Wonder what the statistics are for USA.

News from a Far Country

I've spent the last few days being very ansy. Our facilitator said he was going on Monday to the SDA and see where we are in the line to submit our dossier. Well, since Monday I have been expecting news from him. I guess Kiev is quite a ways away from where he lives. Finally, today he wrote and told us that we were #190 in line where they would take 400 under the quota for 2008 so we have a really really good chance of submitting. He also said that because we are open to so great an age range he could submit our dossier on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. (Mondays people looking for ages 0-5 are allowed to submit, Tuesdays and Wednesdays 6-11 years old and on Thursdays 12+) I'm not really sure of the significance of that except maybe we just have more chances to submit. Keith thinks there is still a possibility that we will go in Dec. I think it will be January. We'll see who is right.

FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!

DHL finally gave up our package today. It took inspection and stamps by radiology and sanitation, and hiring a "customs broker" and a translator (They wouldn't let our facilitator translate it, even though he is very capable). At least it didn't take our facialitator a 13 hour train ride to pick it up, only a 1.5 hour car ride. It is still beyond me why they wouldn't deliver it to the intended recipient. Moral of this story is DON'T USE DHL TO MAIL ANYTHING. Anyway, Kostya is going to take our dossier to the SDA on Monday and see where we stand.
Thank Heaven for small sucesses.

Going on day 14. I always thought I was a pretty patient person, but I guess not. I'm not handling this waiting for our package to be out of DHL customs, very well. I guess I do better when I'm busy doing something. And my friend is amazed that I'm getting so many projects done (making bags, crocheting baby booties for baby showers, making blankets, finishing scrapbooks ect). But that is only a sanity saver... even that is fragile, at best.
Oh, and to top it all off the money wire we sent to our facilitator didn't make it through.
The good news is that DHL is working on refunding all of the shipping fee, and sending us a letter stating that they are at fault. That is all they can do at this point, we still have to pay for a customs broker and a translator and who knows how much else for getting it out of customs. But hey, I'll take ANY good news I can get at this point.

Could it really be true?!?!?

After 10 days of phone calls, emails, photocopying and more phone calls, DHL has FINALLY released our dossier package. And all of that hassle because the DHL lady who helped me mail the package put $1 on the value ("It has to have SOMETHING there"). We are waiting to hear from our facilitator to see just how much it cost us to get it out. There was talk of our facilitator having to travel by train 13 hours down to their office to pick it up (why they wouldn't deliver it to the intended recipient is beyond me) and even having to hire a "customs broker" to get it out of customs. Of course, all of that has it's associated costs. And it cost $150 to mail it in the first place. But now, hopefully, we can move on. We'll see what our facilitator says.

Ugggggggggggggggggg!

Our dossier has been sitting in Kyiv for 5 days waiting on a itemized list of contents for the customs. Wait a minute, it didn't need that list because it is just documents. Well, according to DHL here it is because of the paperclip that I put on all the papers. According to the customs official it is because DHL put in the "code" for parcel instead of package when I sent it--- even though it clearly says DOCS on the front. I raised a ruckus yesterday and as soon as it gets to be a reasonable hour I'm going to have to do it again today.
Keith keeps telling me this is only the beginning. Trust him to help put things in perspective. Ever the voice of calm reason for my frantic efforts.

Now We Wait...........................................

It is finished. We met with the sw last night and got the last of the papers we needed to take everything down to have it apostilled. So that is where I went today, after $315 and 15 minutes I had in my had the whole dossier, finished and complete. Then I made my way to DHL (the recommended carrier to Ukraine) and they said they couldn't do it, they don't service that area. I quickly put them straight and they sent me to the other DHL place (1/2 hour away). After $150 and some doing she found the place and took our precious package away. Then I waxed nostalgic. I have spent 6 months of my life preparing that dossier. Is it really happening yet? Then I panicked. Is it all right am I missing something? I've only gone through it a billion times, maybe I should go through it once more.... ok I need a nap (and some vitamin C).