WHAT WE DO ORPHANED CHILDREN | VULNERABLE WOMEN | COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION

WWW.WATOTO.COM | MARCH 2015 | ISSUE NO.1

WELCOME HOMEWe were thrilled to graduate over 10

toddlers from Baby Watoto to our Watoto

Suubi Village this February. The bubbly

infants were welcomed by excited moms

and siblings in their new families. It was a

momentous occasion for all.

Abandoned babies rescued by Baby

Watoto find a permanent home in a Watoto

village when they’re old enough. It was a

rainy morning, but not even the weather

could dampen the spirits of moms and

babies. “I am excited for my new bundles of

joy. I’m going to love and care for these two

boys with all my heart. My other children

are in school, so I have quite a bit of time

to dedicate to the babies during the day,”

said mama Rose Nabulime. “The toddlers’

graduation to the homes is an opportunity

for them to be in a new environment, with

siblings to grow up with,” said Fred Katoogo,

Baby Watoto Team Leader. A month before

the toddlers moved to the village, their

new mothers spent time with them at

Baby Watoto. This helped in the bonding

process, which is key to their security and

development. “This practice is encouraged

to help the mother and child get to know

each other and also build a relationship.

At the time of graduation the mother is no

longer a stranger to the child but rather a

person who loves and cares for them,” said

Katoogo. Since 2007, over 1,000 vulnerable

babies have been rescued through Baby

Watoto. They now have a chance at a real

future. Partner with us to rescue babies.

Log onto www.watoto.com/sponsorship to

sponsor Baby Watoto now.

Newsletter_MARCH-15_CA.indd 1 4/1/15 1:55 PM

Lucy Anyanyo is one of 191

women who joined Living Hope

Gulu last year and experienced

the power of community.

When Lucy was bedridden and

hopeless, she received a visit

from Florence Acaa, an HIV+

woman who has been empowered

through Living Hope. Florence

is now a community leader for

Living Hope in Gulu. She works

at her stall in the market, but

is actively involved in finding

women like Lucy who are hiding

because of their HIV status. When

Lucy’s husband died of HIV/AIDS,

Lucy lost all hope. “I was certain

that the next thing for me was

death, and that my children would

lose their mother. I thought the

ACHIEVERS2014 was indeed an incredible

year. And the academic excellence

achieved by our students added

to the jubilation.

The release of the 2014 Primary

Leaving Examinations and

Uganda Certificate Examinations

brought Watoto such pride

and joy. The students of our

schools, Hope Junior School and

Hope Senior School, performed

well beyond our expectations.

Jeremiah Mutyaba, the best

performing student at Hope

Senior School, ranked among the

best performing students in the

country. Jonathan Muganzi at

Hope Junior School achieved 5

aggregates in 4 subjects, a pass

with several distinctions.

As a result of these and other

performances, our primary school

finished as the top school in

the district and our high school

finished as one of the top 10

schools in the district.

Your faithful giving

has contributed to these

accomplishments. Jonathan’s

dream is to become a medical

doctor, and Jeremiah wants

to study Food Science and

Technology. Thank you for all you

do for these children.

“I want to solve the problem

of wide spread hunger in Africa.

That’s why I thought it would be

good to become a food scientist,”

says Jeremiah.

If you already sponsor a child,

get somebody else on board in

this worthy cause. Direct them to

www.watoto.com/sponsorship.

A NEW START stress alone would kill me,” she

said. Florence had met Lucy at

the clinic and recognised her as

a neighbour. When she noticed

that Lucy was becoming very

sick, Florence knocked on her

door and shared her own story

with Lucy. “I couldn’t tell that

Florence was also HIV positive

until she disclosed it. Florence

convinced me that I could

live,” she said. With Florence’s

support, Lucy took her first steps

toward recovery. Florence was

there to pray with her as Lucy

overcame the strong effects of

the ARV treatment. Last year,

Florence helped Lucy sign up for

Living Hope. “Through trauma

counselling I was able to release

the stress and pain from my past.

I learned that God loves me no

matter what,” she said.

The ladies from our 2014 intake

have experienced our embrace,

but this year they will also be

empowered through one of our

many skills departments. We are

excited to see them thrive as

they continue to grow in different

areas. Lucy is learning how to sew

Living Hope’s new Amito doll,

which is on sale with the Watoto

Choirs this year. The allowance

she makes as a trainee at our

centre helps her support her

three children and pay her rent.

Email us at livinghope@watoto.com if you would like to help us

empower women like Lucy so that

they also become leaders who

engage with their community and

bring hope to others.

Watoto Choir 71 cannot contain its excitement about sharing the Father’s love everywhere they sing in beautiful Canada. Recently, the choir had the unique opportunity to sing the national anthems at Rogers

Life changing! Today was a day

I will never forget and I pray it will

always have an effect on me. I

was nervous to be traveling alone

to Uganda; however, from the

time I arrived I was welcomed by

everyone at Watoto and quickly

felt at home. I was excited to

finally be in Africa doing what I

came to do, but NOTHING could

have prepared me for what was

ahead.

My experience volunteering at

Baby Watoto was amazing. The

babies stole my heart from day

one, and it was incredible to see

how loved and cared for they are

by the nannies. I didn’t know the

story behind every baby I held.

Who had brought them there and

why? Had they been abandoned

by a teenage mother, too afraid

to keep them? Had something

happened to their family? All I

knew was that I got to hold and

feed them and feel their little

heads snuggle up against my

chest as they lay quietly.

Baby Watoto is a place of

refuge for infants who have been

abandoned by their mothers.

Some are found in trash cans or

born with medical complications

and then discarded by their

parents. The work Watoto is doing

in Uganda is changing the lives

of so many children, and I am

thankful I had the opportunity to

be a small part of it.

Emily Jones

A FEW SENTENCES FROM BABY WATOTO

CHOIR 71 GRACES CANUCK’S GAMEArena for the Canucks game against the Wild. For almost 10 minutes the children from Africa were the scene in front of many Canuck fans and Canadians. The emotional rendition of Canada’s national anthem gave way to cheering, as fans – applauded until

For information of the choir schedule, please visit www.watoto.com/choir

VOLUNTEERIN AFRICAJOIN A TEAM

- Baby Watoto Team

JULY 2015 & JUNE 2016

- Pastoral & Cultural Leadership Team

OCTOBER 2015

- Sponsor Team

OCTOBER 2015

Visit your sponsored Child/Mother

UPCOMING TRIPS

the Watoto Choir left the ice.This choir launched a six-

month cross-Canada tour on the West coast earlier this January. They will stop at several local churches and venues as they travel all across Canada.

Newsletter_MARCH-15_CA.indd 2-3 4/1/15 1:55 PM

Lucy Anyanyo is one of 191

women who joined Living Hope

Gulu last year and experienced

the power of community.

When Lucy was bedridden and

hopeless, she received a visit

from Florence Acaa, an HIV+

woman who has been empowered

through Living Hope. Florence

is now a community leader for

Living Hope in Gulu. She works

at her stall in the market, but

is actively involved in finding

women like Lucy who are hiding

because of their HIV status. When

Lucy’s husband died of HIV/AIDS,

Lucy lost all hope. “I was certain

that the next thing for me was

death, and that my children would

lose their mother. I thought the

ACHIEVERS2014 was indeed an incredible

year. And the academic excellence

achieved by our students added

to the jubilation.

The release of the 2014 Primary

Leaving Examinations and

Uganda Certificate Examinations

brought Watoto such pride

and joy. The students of our

schools, Hope Junior School and

Hope Senior School, performed

well beyond our expectations.

Jeremiah Mutyaba, the best

performing student at Hope

Senior School, ranked among the

best performing students in the

country. Jonathan Muganzi at

Hope Junior School achieved 5

aggregates in 4 subjects, a pass

with several distinctions.

As a result of these and other

performances, our primary school

finished as the top school in

the district and our high school

finished as one of the top 10

schools in the district.

Your faithful giving

has contributed to these

accomplishments. Jonathan’s

dream is to become a medical

doctor, and Jeremiah wants

to study Food Science and

Technology. Thank you for all you

do for these children.

“I want to solve the problem

of wide spread hunger in Africa.

That’s why I thought it would be

good to become a food scientist,”

says Jeremiah.

If you already sponsor a child,

get somebody else on board in

this worthy cause. Direct them to

www.watoto.com/sponsorship.

A NEW START stress alone would kill me,” she

said. Florence had met Lucy at

the clinic and recognised her as

a neighbour. When she noticed

that Lucy was becoming very

sick, Florence knocked on her

door and shared her own story

with Lucy. “I couldn’t tell that

Florence was also HIV positive

until she disclosed it. Florence

convinced me that I could

live,” she said. With Florence’s

support, Lucy took her first steps

toward recovery. Florence was

there to pray with her as Lucy

overcame the strong effects of

the ARV treatment. Last year,

Florence helped Lucy sign up for

Living Hope. “Through trauma

counselling I was able to release

the stress and pain from my past.

I learned that God loves me no

matter what,” she said.

The ladies from our 2014 intake

have experienced our embrace,

but this year they will also be

empowered through one of our

many skills departments. We are

excited to see them thrive as

they continue to grow in different

areas. Lucy is learning how to sew

Living Hope’s new Amito doll,

which is on sale with the Watoto

Choirs this year. The allowance

she makes as a trainee at our

centre helps her support her

three children and pay her rent.

Email us at livinghope@watoto.com if you would like to help us

empower women like Lucy so that

they also become leaders who

engage with their community and

bring hope to others.

Watoto Choir 71 cannot contain its excitement about sharing the Father’s love everywhere they sing in beautiful Canada. Recently, the choir had the unique opportunity to sing the national anthems at Rogers

Life changing! Today was a day

I will never forget and I pray it will

always have an effect on me. I

was nervous to be traveling alone

to Uganda; however, from the

time I arrived I was welcomed by

everyone at Watoto and quickly

felt at home. I was excited to

finally be in Africa doing what I

came to do, but NOTHING could

have prepared me for what was

ahead.

My experience volunteering at

Baby Watoto was amazing. The

babies stole my heart from day

one, and it was incredible to see

how loved and cared for they are

by the nannies. I didn’t know the

story behind every baby I held.

Who had brought them there and

why? Had they been abandoned

by a teenage mother, too afraid

to keep them? Had something

happened to their family? All I

knew was that I got to hold and

feed them and feel their little

heads snuggle up against my

chest as they lay quietly.

Baby Watoto is a place of

refuge for infants who have been

abandoned by their mothers.

Some are found in trash cans or

born with medical complications

and then discarded by their

parents. The work Watoto is doing

in Uganda is changing the lives

of so many children, and I am

thankful I had the opportunity to

be a small part of it.

Emily Jones

A FEW SENTENCES FROM BABY WATOTO

CHOIR 71 GRACES CANUCK’S GAMEArena for the Canucks game against the Wild. For almost 10 minutes the children from Africa were the scene in front of many Canuck fans and Canadians. The emotional rendition of Canada’s national anthem gave way to cheering, as fans – applauded until

For information of the choir schedule, please visit www.watoto.com/choir

VOLUNTEERIN AFRICAJOIN A TEAM

- Baby Watoto Team

JULY 2015 & JUNE 2016

- Pastoral & Cultural Leadership Team

OCTOBER 2015

- Sponsor Team

OCTOBER 2015

Visit your sponsored Child/Mother

UPCOMING TRIPS

the Watoto Choir left the ice.This choir launched a six-

month cross-Canada tour on the West coast earlier this January. They will stop at several local churches and venues as they travel all across Canada.

Newsletter_MARCH-15_CA.indd 2-3 4/1/15 1:55 PM

WATOTO CANADAPO BOX 98VICTORIA, BC V8W 2M1 1-888-9WATOTO CANADA@WATOTO.COM

BOOK THE CHOIR FOR 2016www.watoto.com/the-choir/see-the-choir

Newsletter_MARCH-15_CA.indd 4 4/1/15 1:55 PM