Watoto Newsletter - AU

WWW.WATOTO.COM | OCTOBER 2014 | ISSUE NO.3

Watoto is thrilled to bring you a brand new production, Oh What Love, beginning officially in January 2015, and April 2015 in Australia.

Through this dynamic worship experience, the Watoto Children’s Choir, who were once orphans, share their journey to redemption and demonstrate that God desires to be a loving father to all mankind.

“After losing my parents I

felt lonely, with no one to love me. Now I know that God is my father, and He loves and cares for me. In the choir, I am going to show people that God loves them too” says six year old Jackie Nakku.

Based on the Bible verse 1 John 3:1 “See what kind of love the father has given us, that we should be called children of God, and so we are,” prepare for a unique

worship experience that blends traditional and modern dance with original music. Oh What Love celebrates the urban African landscape and brings out the unique personalities of the children.

Since 1994, Watoto Children’s Choirs have traveled all over the world sharing the plight of Africa’s orphaned and vulnerable, making an appeal to help raise these children so that

WHAT WE DO ORPHANED CHILDREN | VULNERABLE WOMEN | COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION

they can rebuild their nation.

Each of the children in the choir has suffered the loss of one or both of their parents but have been rescued and now live in a Watoto village.

If your church or community group is interested in hosting the choir please contact us at choirau@watoto.com.

CORPORATE GALA Corporate partnerships are invaluable to Watoto Australia.

The generosity of organisations around the country plays an integral role in the transformation happening in Uganda and enables us to provide support that is above and beyond what is covered through monthly sponsorship. We are committed to building strong relationships with our corporate partners and as such, this year we hosted our Annual Gala Fundraising events in Sydney and Melbourne.

These events allow us to raise awareness of the work Watoto is doing in Uganda, strengthen relationships and create new connections within the corporate sector.

Both nights were an outstanding success and we

had an overwhelmingly positive response from everyone who attended. Our guests enjoyed a high class evening of good food and spectacular entertainment by the Watoto Children’s Choir.

There were lots of laughs as our choir adults took to the stage to host the live auction and we were touched as Watoto Australia ambassador Silvie Paladino presented a snapshot of the Watoto projects and blessed us with her beautiful voice.

With close to 400 people in attendance we were able to raise over $22,000. We are thankful for everyone who attended and for those who thoughtfully and generously gave. Together we are helping make the vision of Watoto a reality.

CHOIR 66 This month Choir 66 wrapped up their tour of Australia and New Zealand and we farewelled them as they returned to Uganda.

The tour was a huge success.

We have seen hundreds of people sign up for child sponsorship and funds raised to send to Uganda to continue the good work of Watoto. The highlight of tour was seeing people realise the love of Jesus.

A FUTURE SO BRIGHT Juliet ran her fingers over the wheel of her tailoring machine, admiring its contours. She shifted the weight of her feet over the pedals and listened to them falling into rhythm. The machine was a gift from her husband’s grandmother on the day she gave birth to her first child. It became one of her most valuable possessions. She stared at the machine with a faint ache in her heart, wishing she had the skills to use it.

When Juliet met her husband, she was searching for a home. Her father had stopped supporting her and she was forced to drop out of school.

When she tried to move in with her mother, she was rejected.

She saw marriage as an escape; an opportunity.

Juliet was twenty-one when she sat at a maternity ward holding the results of

her routine HIV test. She was pregnant with her first child.

She was shocked when she read that she was positive, but her husband seemed unfazed. Juliet wondered if he’d always known, but she didn’t ask him any questions. She couldn’t afford to lose another home.

Seven years later, he abandoned her and she was left to look after their two children on her own. She managed to support herself by helping her sister braid hair, but work was irregular and she never had enough. She worried when a child showed any sign of sickness because she couldn’t buy medicine. She knew that soon her eldest would be old enough to start school, but she wouldn’t be able to afford it.

Juliet heard of Living Hope from other women in the community. “I knew that if I was

given the chance, I could also become an empowered woman” she said.

Last month Juliet and five other women were called to be trained in tailoring at our workshop in Kampala. In just three weeks, she went from learning to run the machine and making basic stitches, to learning

Thank you to everyone who came to see us perform and to all the generous churches, community groups and families who hosted us along the way. We would like to thank our amazing volunteers who drove the team bus and truck throughout tour, and thank you to Uncle Bryan who did an incredible job of leading the team. Our 22 Watoto children, and future leaders of Uganda, have experienced the opportunity of a lifetime and their lives will never be the same.

how to make a dress. “I hope to be a tailor and to grow so that I don’t need to depend on my family” she said.

If you would like to help empower women like Juliet you can partner with us by visiting www.watoto.com/ livinghope.

COME WITH US TO BEAUTIFUL AFRICA The inaugural Watoto AU Sponsorship Team recently returned home after spending 14 days visiting Watoto villages, projects and sponsored individuals in Uganda. Of the team of 18, most had never met their sponsor mothers or children and could not imagine the overwhelming joy in doing so.

On their second day in Uganda, sponsors David and Carmel Schubert met Mama Kurusum and shared a meal with her in a Watoto village. It was a touching occasion and the couple remarked, “What a wonderful surprise and blessing to meet our sponsor mother. We have been sponsoring her for five years and Kurusum always corresponds as our sister in Christ. We would recommend anyone sponsor a mum as they are the key to Watoto families.”

Another sponsor, Lauren Roberts, volunteered at Baby Watoto Kampala in 2013, and cared for children and toddlers

with special needs. Before returning home, she decided to sponsor a child. Reflecting on her experience she said, “The children stole my heart while I was there so that’s why I decided to sponsor a child with special needs. Meeting Julius on the sponsorship trip this year was overwhelming. It was great to see that he is healthy and well.

Julius gives me a completely new perspective on things.

Sponsorship is not just a debit from my account every month.

I know it is changing a life. I am looking forward to him being a future leader of Uganda.”

We are taking enquiries for the 2015 Sponsorship Trip and invite you to be a part of the team!

The experience includes (but is not limited to) multiple visits with sponsored individuals, Baby Watoto and Living Hope; guided tours of Watoto’s sustainability projects; a cultural performance, and a safari at Murchison Falls National Park.

SPECIAL MOVE This past quarter, a number of our Baby Watoto Suubi toddlers graduated into our villages. Many of these abandoned babies joined the Watoto family severely malnourished, premature, abused, and/or neglected.

They are now cherished, active, creative toddlers filled with hope and joy.

It is amazing to watch their transformation and we celebrate this exciting milestone in their lives.

For a number of years, we have been praying about and discussing the best long term plans for our children with significant special needs.

Over the past few months, we have established a partnership with a new Christian organisation in Kampala, The Gem Foundation. They specialise in caring for children with significant special needs well into their adulthood.

We are excited by what this organisation is doing and believe that this is the best option for some of our children with special needs who have outgrown Baby Watoto. The first group of children moved from Baby Watoto Kampala to The Gem Foundation in August.

We believe that this is a great opportunity for our children and are excited to continue to watch them grow and develop.

Partner with us by sponsoring Baby Watoto at www.watoto. com/sponsorship today.

THE GREAT OCEAN ROAD CHALLENGE Watoto Australia is excited to be participating in the 25000 Spins Great Ocean Road Challenge in February 2015. This

three day cycling tour is a great opportunity for riders of all levels to enjoy the stunning scenery of Australia, while doing something

incredible for a cause you love.

If you are interested in riding for Watoto we would love to have you as part of the team. For

more information please contact mediaau@watoto.com.

YOU ARE INVITED TO COME ON THE

TRIP OF A LIFETIME!

Have you considered meeting your sponsor child, mother or teacher?

Seeing the precious babies and toddlers at Baby Watoto? Hearing firsthand stories from Living Hope? One of our supporters, Hannah, did just that! She shared: “I feel like what I gained from my trip can never be measured in money or time. Through a beautiful exchange i became a part of two new families, have a photo album full of photos that reflect the trip of a lifetime and so many memories that can take me back to Uganda anytime I want!�

Watoto Australia is organising a two week trip for current sponsors to visit Watoto in September 2014! With a key member of our staff leading the tour, we will be visiting Watoto villages, projects and sponsored individuals, as well as the option of a safari, white water rafting or cruise on the Nile!

For more information please contact our Visit Watoto Coordinator Dennis Brown at australia@watoto.com or 07 3208 3500.

WATOTO AUSTRALIA PO BOX 782 SPRINGWOOD, QLD 4127 (07) 3208 3500 AUSTRALIA@WATOTO.COM

Global Development Group (ABN 57 102 400 993), a DFAT approved NGO, is proud to be a partner of Watoto Child Care Ministries Australia and responsible for aid & development projects J210, J329, J416 according to DFAT guidelines.