Under a cloudless Ugandan sky, a 17-year-old boy stands up from his field of maize and stretches his back. He wipes the sweat from his forehead and smiles as he surveys his blossoming crop.

A few years before, this teenager was a child soldier, abducted from his home and forced to fight in a war he didn’t understand. Today, he is part of the Watoto family and his future is blossoming alongside his crop.

For more than 30 years, Watoto Church has been able to minister to tens of thousands of Ugandans, bringing them to Jesus Christ and transforming their lives. Jesus passionately loves every person, and He is the solution to the fundamental problems in Africa. His example defines our mission to RESCUE, RAISE and REBUILD.

Watoto Child Care Ministries provides a safe, loving family for almost 3,000 children. It’s an environment that promotes spiritual growth, brings physical and psycho-logical healing, develops academic and practical skills and enhances the wellbeing of the most vulnerable.

Over 800 babies have been rescued from dire cir-cumstances, some found in outdoor toilets, banana plantations, on trash heaps - literally left as human refuse. Now they’re healthy and thriving either at Baby Watoto or in a Watoto village.

We have already seen 154 orphans grow from children to adults, complete their schooling, go on to tertiary

studies or vocational training, and live productive lives as contributing members of society. This is our goal. This is our passion. This is how we change a nation.

Additionally, Living Hope is restoring dignity to the lives of thousands of vulnerable women who have been abused and left with no resources. These women are now caring for their own children, running their own businesses and have become pillars of hope in their community.

By God’s grace, Watoto is raising transformational leaders who will impact every sphere of society positively, reforming Uganda and serving as a model for the rest of Africa.

None of this would be possible without the generosity of our partners, so thank you for your continued support.

God has been faithful to Watoto through three decades and, over the years, we’ve managed to sustain growth and drastically improve the lives of our children. However, the global economic downturn has resulted in significant cutbacks in financial support.

Our commitment to our children is for life. To ensure that we continue to provide the highest quality of holistic care, we ask that you, our generous partners, consider providing financial support in the following key areas of need:

Equipment

$599,000

Child Development

$644,000

Computer Equipment

$80,000

Replacement Vehicles

$453,000

Maintenance & Operations $402,000

Dear Friend,

I want to personally say a heartfelt thank you for the support you have given to Watoto this past financial year. All funds given to Watoto Australia have ensured that the most vulnerable women and children in Uganda continue to be rescued and raised as responsible leaders so that this beautiful nation continues to be re-built. We are thankful for your prayers, generosity and passion to come alongside us in seeing our vision become a reality.

As the end of this financial year approaches, we encourage you to consider making a tax-deductible donation to Watoto. Every dollar of your donation (no matter how large or small) will help us continue our work in Uganda and we will continue to be great stewards of the funds entrusted to us.

Please find below a letter from Watoto founders Gary and Marilyn Skinner, highlighting Watoto’s greatest needs.

Thank you again for your support.

Luke WilleyCountry DirectorWatoto Child Care Ministries Australia & New Zealand

In economically challenging times, the hard choices have to be made between direct care for the children (food, clothing and education) and some necessary higher priced items like computers, medical equipment, buildings and vehicles. Over time, these do wear out and must be replaced.

The only way we can continue to grow and meet the need is through the ongoing partnership of friends just like you. We would like you to prayerfully consider how you can come alongside us to transform a continent for Christ.

Still for others, God may be urging you to take a step of faith and provide a gift that will have a profound impact on the vulnerable in our nation. Your employer may match your charitable giving, or perhaps you (or someone in your sphere of influence) has a business that could make a significant donation toward any of these areas. No gift is too small. Jesus sees every act of kindness and multiples it into abundance.

The task is enormous, the need tremendous, but Jesus is so good and we believe that together, we can make a difference for every child and woman. We ask that you join us in prayer for the need and we look forward to hearing from you soon.

Visit www.watoto.com/donate to donate now.

For more information or to process a credit card gift over the phone, contact:

Watoto AustraliaPhone: 07 3208 3500 Email: australia@watoto.com

God bless you,

Watoto Founders

$ 2,178,000 needed to bring necessary medical, child development and technological upgrades to our villages, as well as replace equipment vital to our operation.