I’m Kassaye, also called Saba, an Ethiopian-Eritrean adoptee writer and organizer.

I started writing about my experiences as an adopted person over a decade ago. My hope has always been that people to become more informed and critical about adoption and how it impacts individuals, families, and communities. 

My writing has been published in three edited books. I co-produced and co-hosted a podcast and have spoken on panels in Canada, the US, and Austria. I have also collaborated on news stories with CBC News, Al Jazeera, BBC News, BBC The Comb, Associated Press (AP), Addis Standard, and others.

Since 2024, I have shifted my focus to conducting independent research on the high rates of institutionalization and abandonment among intercountry/international adoptees and providing peer support to those who need it. At the same time, I founded Ethiopian Adoptee Search, where I have been helping adoptees and Ethiopian families search for and reunite with each other.

In the future, I hope to collaborate with adoption-competent researchers and community members to ensure there are more resources for adoptees in need, especially abandoned adoptees from Africa and the Caribbean.