Mission Watoto Australia is a non-profit, non-denominational, volunteer group that organises and takes teams of volunteers to Africa to help in constructing sustainable Watoto Villages. Our mission is to give orphan children hope and a future.
What We Are Doing
In conjunction with a Ugandan based Christian organisation, called Watoto Child Care Ministries, we will continue to raise funds to provide building infrastructure for these parentless children. It is our intention to send at least one volunteer team a year to work on this humanitarian task.
Mission Watoto
Babies at the Watoto Child Care Ministry's Baby Home "Bullrushes"
Is the name chosen originally by a group of Australian childcare professionals. They were passionate about helping to house and educate some of the 1.8 million parentless and destitute children currently living in Uganda, Africa. They saw this work as a “mission” to be achieved. Watoto is a Swahili word meaning “Children”. Hence “Mission Watoto”.
Background
The majority of our children in Australia have a home and a supportive family. Our government provides assistance through:
- Education, health and other financial allowances.
- Child care support
- Funding for schools, higher education, vocational education and job training
Yet, in places like Uganda and many other parts of the world, support to this extent is just not available.
Uganda is still suffering from a past of corruption, brutality and oppression. The people have endured brutal dictators, the scourge of civil war and the deadly AIDS epidemic. A whole generation is now missing. Half the population of Uganda is under the age of 15. These children are craving love, support and a family structure and few hold out any hope for their future. Thankfully the economy is improving but the country is still struggling. Social services are scarce, water and sanitation systems are not freely available to most and poverty and disease are prevalent. Their government is not equipped to provide care for the children orphaned and abandoned. This is the reality that is Uganda today. Find out more about Uganda by clicking here.
Mission Watoto Australia
- Is not about sending cash overseas to prop up an ailing government.
- All money donated to support a Mission Watoto Australia project goes toward the building costs
- As volunteers, the team members pay their own travel costs and all associated expenses
- The 2009 Mission Watoto Team and the Local Building team Together outside a completed primary school classroom.
Houses, Schools and Medical Centres are being constructed in a Watoto village concept with the help of local workers and teams like ours from all around the world. Each house consists of 3 bedrooms, a kitchen, living area and a bathroom with running water. Eight children and a house-mother live in each home and become a family for life.
By us helping to build a sustainable Watoto village and creating a family atmosphere for parentless children, we know we can give them the opportunity to be loved, cared for and educated. This is what all children, irrespective of their colour, should be entitled. These destitute children will become the new generation of leaders in their country.
About Us- The people behind Mission Watoto Australia
To find out more about the dedicated people making Mission Watoto Australia as successful as it is, check out our profiles page and contact page.
Further Information
How can YOU help?
Joining a team to travel.
Joining a team to assist with fund-raising.
External Link: Watoto Childcare Ministries
External Link: That’s Life with Pete
