Exclusive: Fraud and Deceit at the Heart of Uganda Adoptions to United States

Tom Esslemont, Katy Migiro (Thomson Reuters Foundation)

LONDON/KAMPALA (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Ugandan families have been bribed, tricked or coerced into giving up their children to U.S. citizens and other foreigners for adoption, a Thomson Reuters Foundation investigation has found.

Across Uganda church-backed orphanages and private child care institutions are springing up.

“Fifteen years ago there were just two dozen orphanages, now there are as many as 400 such institutions,” said Stella Ayo-Odongo, executive director of the Uganda Child Rights NGO Network.