2022 Impact Report
Overview
Watoto brings hope and healing to vulnerable women and children in Uganda and South Sudan. Nearly 40 years ago, God gave Gary Skinner the vision to start an English-speaking church in Kampala, Uganda. Moving to war-torn Kampala, Gary and his wife, Marilyn, were determined to obey God and bring hope to the hopeless through the gospel of Jesus. Because of this selfless act of faith, Watoto Church was born. Not long after, Africa was completely devastated by the AIDS crisis. Throughout Uganda people began dying, making thousands of children orphans. Again, God spoke to Gary saying, “Look after my children.” It was a reminder that God is the father to the fatherless. Today, over 30,000 people attend services weekly at our 15 different church locations, and tens of thousands watch services on TV and online. And as we share the love of Christ as a church, we care for thousands of people on our Watoto villages and in our communities. Earlier this year, we celebrated a truly historic moment. As a result of years of mentorship and a deep personal relationship, our founders, Gary and Marilyn Skinner, officially handed over the leadership of Watoto to Pastor Julius and Vernita Rwotlonyo. We are grateful for our legacy and are inspired to move forward into the future with the same dependence on God as we continue to Celebrate Christ and Care for Community. Thanks to your love and generosity, through our Watoto Canada office, last year we raised over $4 million for the vital work God has called us to do in Africa. And we’re grateful for all our sponsors across Canada who gave $3,580,587 to help us feed, clothe, educate, raise, and share the love of Christ with the women, children, and babies we’ve rescued together. We couldn’t do this without you!
Baby Watoto
We’re incredibly grateful for each little life that we’re able to rescue together. Last year, your support helped ensure 167 of Uganda’s most vulnerable babies were given the special care they need as they grow up surrounded by the love of Christ. In 2022, we were also able to rescue 59 of Uganda’s most vulnerable babies. That means 59 little ones were saved and given a lot of love, care, and a bright future where they will grow up knowing the hope of Jesus. And thanks to partners like you, over the years we’ve rescued 1,590 babies— and counting. Each baby we rescue together is a beautiful reminder of God’s faithfulness. As we provide care for the little ones God has entrusted us with, we’re grateful for all our nannies and caregivers who helped ensure 91% of the babies we assessed last year reached their developmental milestones. And while we nurtured our little ones and watched them grow, we also celebrated as 24 of our toddlers graduated from Baby Watoto and moved to their new forever families on one of our Watoto villages where they’re now being given lots of love by their Watoto mother. With your help, babies who were once orphaned or abandoned are now fed, cared for, and embraced with God’s love. Thank you for helping us rewrite their stories!
Watoto Villages
Every child deserves to grow up in a family that loves them, with a safe place to call home, and to be free from worrying about where their next meal might come from. And that’s exactly what your sponsorship provides. Thanks to your support, across our three Watoto villages—Bbira, Suubi, and Laminadera—3,336 children are being raised in a loving family. Since we first began, we’ve rescued and provided a home, food, an education, a family, and a bright future to nearly 6,000 children—and each year our family grows. In 2022, we welcomed 56 children into their very own Watoto family. Each one was embraced with love and reassured that they are not alone. In fact, 388 families are living in homes throughout our Watoto villages. In each home you’ll find a Watoto mother who is raising eight children who were once orphaned or vulnerable. Now they’re a family, and she’s raising them with love.
Meet Stella, a child whose life was forever changed because someone like you cared. Thanks to your support, across our three Watoto villages children like Stella are being raised in a loving family. Here they receive everything they need to grow up healthy and whole—nutritious food, clothes, medical care, an education, and a home with a mother who loves them. Stella, a precious five-year-old, is a beautiful example of how God is using people like you all around the world to transform lives. Rescued when she was less than a week old, today Stella’s a healthy, active little girl who loves to sing, play, and help Mama Joyce around the house. Thanks for creating a safe and loving home for Stella and over 3,000 of her Watoto brothers and sisters.
Education
In 2022, we provided an education to 2,751 students across our Watoto villages—helping our students learn, grow, and dream about the future God has for them. Education is vital to raising future leaders, and our teachers go above and beyond to educate and mentor our children. From preschool through university, our goal is to see each child graduate Watoto with a skill in their hands. Last year, in our Watoto schools we provided an education to: • 1,642 primary school students • 783 O-level secondary school students • 137 A-level secondary school students • 189 Hope Technical Institute students And 212 Watoto teachers worked hard to ensure that our students continued to learn and grow in new and creative ways. We also provided an education to: • 496 tertiary and university students
As we continue to cheer on 496 of our young adults who are currently studying at university or a tertiary school, last year we also celebrated 48 of our students who graduated university and are now becoming the leaders God has called them to be.
Beyond Academics
To help our children have a well-rounded life, we continue to provide vocational training, as well as extracurricular activities like sports and creative arts, allowing students the opportunity to explore their passions and discover their God-given talents. In fact, last year every Watoto student participated in at least one extracurricular activity. This includes 857 students who were part of our Worship Academy and 607 student athletes who participated in a sport through our Sports Academy. One of the highlights we celebrated last year was when our boys’ soccer team won a trophy in the Uganda 3x3 Schools National Championship. And thanks to our dedicated coaches, and gifted athletes, as our kids competed with teams throughout Uganda, they used the opportunity to share their faith and their values with other athletes—and we couldn’t be prouder. We’re grateful to each of you who has supported and cheered on our kids in sports, in creative arts, and in life, every step of the way. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you!
Medical
Each of our Watoto villages has a medical clinic to provide the care needed for our families. We also extend healthcare to people in the surrounding communities. For our doctors, nurses, and healthcare assistants, providing medical care is an act of love. And they each play a vital role in ensuring we provide holistic care to everyone in our family. In addition to treating health issues, our team also works hard to reduce disease prevalence. They focus on disease prevention by educating everyone in our villages on proper nutrition and hygiene practices. Last year, they also helped protect our Watoto families from diseases like malaria by distributing 273 mosquito nets throughout our villages. And they administered 1,761 routine childhood immunizations for diseases like measles, polio, tetanus, and hepatitis B. It’s a big job taking care of our children, mothers, and communities, and we couldn’t do this alone. We’re grateful for the volunteer teams that came through to support the work of our medical staff. In addition to caring for our Watoto families, last year, with the help of our amazing international partners, we were able to provide medical care to nearly 9,000 people in northern Uganda. Plus, 929 children and mothers received much needed dental care and 312 received optical care. Over the years, some of our children have faced difficult medical challenges. So, we were excited to cheer on five of those children who got to participate in the National Paralympics qualifiers. Three of them won gold and one was chosen to represent Uganda in the Special Olympics in Germany.
Sustainability
Our farms are a key part of our sustainability efforts. They provide fresh produce and eggs to over 3,700 children and mothers across our three villages—helping them grow healthy and strong. In addition to 330 tons of fruit that we grew last year, and 177 tons of vegetables, our chickens laid over 1.7 million eggs, providing nutritious food for our Watoto families. And there was more than enough, so we sold the surplus in the local market to help the community. Our farms not only feed our families, but they also strengthen the community by providing jobs, as well as hands-on training for our children. In fact, in the past year 16 of our Watoto graduates and young adults were either working or interning on our farms—gaining incredible experience. As we train and empower our young adults, we believe that together, we will help create a bright, sustainable future.
Watoto Neighbourhood
In 2022, we embraced 1,504 vulnerable women in Uganda and South Sudan with the love of Jesus as we equipped them with adult literacy classes, vocational skills, business training, and job opportunities. Africa’s greatest resource is her women, empowered. The harsh reality is that many women have been left to bear the brunt of war, poverty, and disease. Millions of our sisters have been abandoned and robbed of all dignity. Uneducated and unemployable, they are left to suffer alone. But together we’re changing this by coming alongside vulnerable women through our Watoto Neighbourhood initiative, partnering with them to find practical, sustainable solutions to meet their key needs so they can be the mothers and leaders God has called them to be. Because we know when a woman is vulnerable she needs to feel loved, accepted, and cared for physically, with the help of our partners across the globe, last year we provided the following support to our Neighbourhood mothers as the first step in their journey of restoration: • • • • •
991 mothers received an “embrace” package, including items like a mattress, a blanket, cooking saucepans, and basic pantry items 1,549 mothers were given help with medical care and expenses 237 mothers received help with rent 1,636 food baskets were given to families during the Christmas holidays 453 women received startup capital to help them launch their own small business
Catherine, pictured above with her seven children, is one of the mothers currently learning business skills at Watoto. She hopes to one day have her own small business, but in the meantime while she’s still getting on her feet, she is one of the women we have helped with food and childcare. When speaking with her recently, Catherine wanted to share a message for everyone who supports Watoto, “Thank you so much for everything you are doing to make my life better.” We couldn’t agree more. We are grateful for the generosity of partners like you that allowed us to provide a much needed helping hand to vulnerable women in our neighbourhoods like Catherine. And we are thrilled with the results that support is having on their lives. Here are just a few highlights of your impact last year: • • • • •
361 small groups were led by our Neighbourhood mothers and staff as they shared the love of Jesus with others in their communities 228 mothers received Christ as their personal Lord and Savior 895 women passed their adult literacy classes, many learning to write their names and read their Bibles for the very first time 710 mothers graduated after going through literacy classes, discipleship, and business & skills training 487 women saw an increase in their monthly income
As we continue to embrace these women with God’s love, they find hope and a purpose. And we passionately believe that when we equip and empower women to care for themselves and their families, this is how we can transform communities and nations together.
Keep a Girl in School
Last year, we reached 9,938 vulnerable girls in Uganda and South Sudan—teaching them feminine hygiene education and letting them know that their lives matter. Imagine not being able to afford feminine hygiene products, soap, or clean panties for your daughter—and imagine her future depended on it. Sadly, this is the reality for many in Uganda and South Sudan; girls drop out of school simply because they can’t afford feminine hygiene products or the basic fees to go to school. But together we’re changing this! Through our Keep a Girl in School initiative, we’re working hard to ensure that no girl misses out on an education because of her economic circumstances. So, we’re coming alongside girls and their families to help ease the financial burden by meeting their basic need of sanitary products and teaching them their value in Christ in the process. In fact, last year we expanded the number of schools we’re partnering with to 69 schools providing sanitary products, hygiene education, discipleship, and support to 9,938 vulnerable girls—4,268 girls in Gulu, northern Uganda, 1,770 in Kampala, Uganda’s capital city, and 3,900 in Juba, South Sudan. Our team works hard to keep girls in school, striving to ensure that no girl is left behind, so last year we celebrated that after lots of follow up, 27 girls who had previously dropped out of school, returned to class. That’s 27 girls who could have ended up a tragic statistic, but now have a bright future ahead. And we cheered on 1,005 girls who registered in their candidate classes for primary school national exams, Uganda Certificate in Education, and Uganda Advanced Certificate in Education. This means these your support is not only ensuring girls receive an education, but it’s changing their future. Meet Patricia. Thanks to your support, she’s being kept in school and given a bright future. Education plays a critical role in breaking the cycle of poverty and violence. When girls like Patricia are kept in school, they stand a better chance of growing into empowered women. “I’m grateful to Watoto for helping keep girls like me in school. Before they came to my school and gave me sanitary pads regularly, I used to use pieces of cloth each month during my period. But now I have sanitary pads and feel safe, happy, and am able to focus on my studies,” exclaimed Patricia. With your support, we are keeping girls like Patricia in school, educated, and empowered. Thanks for giving Patricia—and thousands of vulnerable girls in Uganda and South Sudan— the bright future they deserve.
WATOTO UGANDA (HEAD OFFICE) PHONE: +256 (0) 779 676 559 EMAIL: UGANDA@WATOTO.COM
Global Support Offices WATOTO ASIA
PHONE: +852 2639 9797 EMAIL: ASIA@WATOTO.COM
WATOTO AUSTRALIA
PHONE: +61 (3) 9645 6547 EMAIL: AUSTRALIA@WATOTO.COM
WATOTO BRASIL
PHONE: +55 (41) 3039 7102 EMAIL: BRASIL@WATOTO.COM
WATOTO NETHERLANDS
PHONE: +31 614 591 196 EMAIL: NEDERLAND@WATOTO.COM
WATOTO NORWAY
PHONE: +47 977 61 010 EMAIL: NORWAY@WATOTO.COM
WATOTO SWEDEN
PHONE: +46 10 221 61 73 EMAIL: SWEDEN@WATOTO.COM
WATOTO CANADA
WATOTO UK
PHONE: +1 888 9WATOTO EMAIL: CANADA@WATOTO.COM
WATOTO GERMANY
PHONE: +49 152 553 00 288 EMAIL: GERMANY@WATOTO.COM
PHONE: +44 203 225 1048 EMAIL: UK@WATOTO.COM
WATOTO USA
PHONE: +1 813 948 4343 EMAIL: USA@WATOTO.COM
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