dream center uganda annual report

DreamCENTER UGANDA

2011 Annual Report

Dream Center Uganda 2011 Annual report

Country Director, Jesse Kroeze and his family

A WORD FROM THE COUNTRY DIRECTOR

We are constantly amazed by what God is doing in Northern Uganda and the immense support by all those partnering around us. The past year of 2011 has proven to be a journey of transition and major success. Dream Center Uganda moved its offices five hours north to establish ourselves permanently in Gulu in order to follow through on our vision in a focused effort. This has brought a deeper level of unity among our staff along with a more intimate relationship with the community of Adak.

Our presence in this single community over the years has created a foundation of trust that has softened the hearts and minds of people. The harvest is plentiful and we thank the donor communities, partners and staff that have contributed to a year which has advanced the process of restoration with tangible results.

I am thrilled to share with you an overview of our work in 2011. We have learned many lessons, grown in faith and experienced the love and joy in relationships. Lives have been transformed and I am convinced that it is only possible because of supporters like you. Dream Center began its ministry by asking if it was truly possible to see reconciliation come through one village...and now we know it is. It has already come. And its changing the world.

Grace & Peace,Jesse KroezeCountry Director, DCU

Executive Director, Asaasira Gracious Robert along with his family

A WORD FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

It is both exciting and humbling to see how far the Lord has brought us. Dream Center’s strategy of empowering a community through educating and health care is still a powerful formula for sustainability, interdependence and spiritual transformation.

All our Programs at Dream Center are geared toward developing a relationship with Jesus Christ and cultivating this relationship to bring transformation in every life. Our staff continues to be committed to providing real opportunities to turn shattered lives

around through the teachings of Jesus Christ, support people to be active contributing members of their community and to be mature Christians that can endure.

Once again it was a very busy year and we invite you to review the highlights from 2010-2011 on the following pages which outline the many initiatives, programs and activities that occurred this past year. Hard times don’t last forever, but our call to action must remain sharp and urgent. We must protect our community from relief handouts and the dependence syndrome that comes with it.

Thank you to the people of Adak and their families, our employees, volunteers, friends and donors. With your continued involvement and support we look forward to another rewarding year.

Sincerely,Asaasira Gracious Robert Executive Director, DCU


who we areDream Center Uganda (DCU) is an international ministry branch of Touch The World seeking to restore lives by transforming communities. We are committed to long-term development in the community of Adak, Gulu through partnership with the local people. Our goal is to establish belonging, competence and worth that will move people from apathy to energy. We believe that effecting change in the physical and spiritual aspects an an individual is paramount to see true transformation take root on a community level where sustainability, interdependency and spiritual transformation ring true. But our responsibility extends beyond Africa. It reaches beyond borders to bridge the gap between individuals and communities that would otherwise be disconnected in order to embrace each others stories and evoke action that will become a grassroots effort to ignite a movement for change.

vision statementTo equip the people of Adak, Uganda to live in communities of sustainability, interdependency and spiritual transformation.

mission statementTo introduce people to Jesus Christ through project-based initiatives, disciple them into the local body of assembled believers and equip them to reach others with the Gospel.

target beneficiaries & value propositionDCU is targeting to serve the community of Adak and the surrounding areas under Lalogi Sub County. Priority will be on women and youth who are most vulnerable. DCU staff will work with members of local communities to identify and develop programs where the communities themselves own the vision in an interdependent relationship with DCU.

what we doDCU focuses on the following intervention areas in an integrated development approach that enables communities to realize better standards of living:1. Healthcare2. Education3. Discipleship4. Agricultural Initiative5. Teams/VolunteersDCU has the opportunity to partner with the Adak community to develop their God-given potential and be released from the poverty that has trapped their families for more than 22 years.

philosophy of ministryDCU understands the value of partnership. Its core philosophy stands for transformational development where all ministry participants are reached holistically, meeting both physical and spiritual needs. When we meet a physical need, we can’t help but to share the love of Christ with that person; when we share salvation with someone, the only answer is to be Jesus to them by meeting their physical needs. In this process of transformation, God is reconciling all things back to him through us, his people (2 Cor 5:17-21).


Healthcare

CLEAN WATEREvery day hundreds of people travel from their homes to pump borehole water in the village. They use it for drinking, for bathing and for cooking simply maintaining life for their homes and for their families. But what the people don’t realize is that the boreholes are completely contaminated; the water that they rely on so much to maintain life, is in reality taking it away.

After years of partnering alongside the people of Adak, TTW’s Dream Center saw an opportunity to build into the community by digging a new well and installing a system (through Water Missions Int’l) to provide Adak with its first clean water source. Within weeks, noticeable health improvements were seen and it is now clear that life is being restored. Testimonies are surfacing of illnesses being healed, discomforts being relieved and pain being taken away. As we continue the work set before us, we are convinced that this is only the beginning. With clean water in Adak, health is improving, with health improving life is being restored and with life being restored the future of Adak is transforming.

Water system completed in may 2011 including:A 960 watt solar system with submersible pump 40 meters into ground pumping up to reserve tanks elevated 20 feet above ground level. There is a 10,000 liter tank designated for DCU ministry programs and a 5,000 liter tank designated for the community to have unlimited access to clean water.

“Now that we have clean water, we have not been getting sick like we used to. The water at the pump tastes much

better now since it is cleaned properly. The water is much better because there is no disease in it. My family is very thankful for the clean water.” -Sharon, Adak Resident


HEALTH CENTEROver two years ago, the community was asked what its most urgent needs were and where DCU could most effectively partner alongside them. Medical care was the unequivocal answer since so many in Adak are suffering and dying from malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia, burns and various water born diseases that are entirely preventable or treatable. The necessity of providing this basic need birthed the medical center that is now nearly complete. Slated to open in the summer of 2012, this medical center will open as an outpatient facility that will develop into a larger inpatient facility in the future. The simple provision of a center that will be well stocked with medicine and on-call nurses will prevent numerous deaths and bring healing, both physically and spiritually.

April 2010 Ground was broken and foundation begunJuly 2010 Foundation completeOctober 2010 Walls up and trusses placedNovember 2010 Superstructure finalFebruary 2011 Masonry finish work completeSeptember 2011 Plumbing finishedDecember 2011 Donated medical equipment shippedSummer 2012 Medical center opening!!!

“Dear Friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as

your soul is getting along well.” - 3 John 1:2


Education

VOCATIONAL TRAININGDream Center has been engaged in empowering youth through competence building since its inception, giving community members skills that can be used to earn income. The progress and excitement for this program proves its success. To date, we have graduated 58 tailors and 23 builders, most of whom have started their own businesses and are standing on their own two feet.

Out of the 23 builders who graduated in April 2010, Dream Center hired ten of those men to assist in the ongoing construction of the health center and other projects benefiting the community. These students are not only making an income as they work but are a part of a continued advance level education as we practically walk them through the building process. The next class of baking is scheduled to begin January 2012.

“I thank God for the work that is given me by DCU. In July of 2010, I was saved by Jesus. God has changed my

life and I am so thankful. Thank you Dream Center for helping me. I am so thankful.” -Okello Michael, a builder

FolloW up From Former student - oyet sunday

Sunday’s wife Juliette was first enrolled in DCU’s first vocational training class in 2008. Sunday was so desperate to learn a trade, he would come to the classes each day until his persistence finally landed him a spot in the class alongside his wife. Both graduated, Sunday at the top of the class, and went on to immediately begin their own business with their new sewing machines given to them by DCU after the completion of their training.

Now three years since their graduation in a tailoring course, Sunday and Juliette have a thriving business located in the trading center of nearby village Opit. After a year of proving their skill to the locals, they received a contract from a local nursery school to make all of the student uniforms.

Sunday shares, “Before we were without hope. Life was difficult. But now, we have money to buy food, to buy medicine, to send our kids to school. Slowly, we are moving forward. We are moving forward.”

Sunday and Juliette are just one example of a life - and an entire family - that have been touched and transformed by the work of Dream center Uganda.


LIFEBRIDGEOur LifeBridge Child Sponsorship program through St. Mary Kevin Motherhood Orphanage in Kajjansi continues to move forward with children advancing in their academics, being assisted with their school requirements and fed the life-giving Word of God. During this 2011 school year, 52 students have been sponsored through Touch The World supporters from abroad.

“I thank Touch the World for the LifeBridge program because with it’s help, my life has become better. Before, my life was very hard. I would be sent home to get school fees and my single mother who struggles to raise me and my siblings found it very challenging. I didn’t have requirements and my school fees were never paid in time but with a LifeBridge sponsor, I have now been able to get enough school requirements and my school fees are paid on time. I have even improved in class because I no longer have to worry about being sent home for school fees and I have had time to focus on my studies.

I have constantly attended the discipleship classes and I have learned so much. I have learned that I should take all my worries to God and trust that He will take care of me. I have learned that it is important to be of good character, I have learned that I should forgive those who wrong me and most importantly that I am a child of God. I continue to pray and ask the Lord to bless Touch the World and my sponsors for everything that they are doing for me.”

Though our focus organizationally this past year has shifted primarily towards the work in Adak, the children at SMK continue to receive regular visitations from staff and can be assured they are provided for within the scope of their sponsorship. The LifeBridge program at SMK will phase out as each child graduates from Primary Seven. TTW’s sponsorship of students from SMK will conclude at the end of the 2015 school year.

In effort to assist children transition from primary to secondary education, TTW is working in conjunction with another supporting organization to St. Mary Kevin. This organization focuses primarily on secondary sponsorship and many of the TTW supporters who have developed a relationship with their sponsor child in primary levels have continued on alongside this other organization to provide for their sponsor child into secondary levels.

Education


Discipleship“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to hkmself

through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation...And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s

ambassadors...We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Our discipleship program has launched with a formal curriculum developed specifically for the people of Adak. Dream Center has been engaged in the sharing of Christ through word and deed since we began in 2008 desiring to witness spiritual transformation. The people of the community have developed a deep respect for our staff through continued interaction and ongoing relationship which has ripened hearts and minds. The love of Christ is being embraced and the testimonies of changed lives abound. In 2011, over 50 people have been formally discipled through our one-on-one reproducing model.

“I used to try to read the Bible and then put it down because I was unable to understand. Now, because of what Edwin has been teaching me, I read the Bible and understand. The things God is teaching me and my family are changing our lives!” Humphrey is an English teacher at the elementary level school across the road from Dream Center. He used to go to work drunk every morning and could always be found near the Adak village center with the rest of the drunkards. This testimony is what he jumped up to share in our Thursday evening community fellowship. He is eagerly waiting to be baptized with his wife and kids.


Agriculture

100% of Adak community survives off subsistence farming. Even if someone has a vocation separate from farming, they still find time to cultivate their garden as this is their only source of food for survival and disposable income. Due to this fact, the opportunity to provide a much needed service is wide open and 2011 has been a year of planning and strategy towards a sustainable future.

Dream Center’s strategy is to launch an agricultural business initiative that will address the major needs of the farmers in Adak, educate locals in efficient crop production methods, and provide the capital needed for the growth and sustainability of our ministry. Theachievement in this phase consists of purchasing 100 acres of land for agriculturalfarming, building a 6,500 sq ft crop storage warehouse, and operating a rice mill.Currently, only 11% of land owned in Adak is used for agriculture. We can provide theeducation and assistance needed to increase the crop yield of all of the local farmersin Adak through this initiative. Adak residents will also be availed services previously not available while Dream Center simaltaneously has the potential to become fully sustainable as a ministry. Since the demand on crops in Uganda is inexhaustible, the possibilities are unlimited.

Objectives of Agricultural initiative1. To initiate a business enterprise program where 50 local residents are educated andtrained in skills and trades relevant to their community each year.

2. To train local people in improved agricultural practices resulting in a 20% increase incrop yield.

3. To establish a profitable agribusiness enterprise with three elements (farming, milling& storage) by 2013.

4. To use the business enterprise to fully fund all DCU initiatives, including operatingbudgets and services to the community (Medical Center, Vocational School,Discipleship, etc.) by 2014.

“It’s organizations like Dream Center who go

out into the villages and produce crops on a large scale that will give the

local farmers a vision for what they can do.” - Noah Opwonya (Deputy Chairman,

Gulu District Investment Committee)


Venture Program - Volunteers

Volunteers and visiting mission teams are also an integral part of our ministry at Dream Center. Short-term mission teams are exposed to the stark realities found in Uganda that are not present or visible from their homes in America. They are challenged through inten-tional discussion and hands-on experiences to put their faith into action, both within the community of Adak and in their own neighborhoods upon their return home.

Longer-term Interns participate in Touch The World’s Venture Program where they focus on holistic ministry, utliizing their gifts in an international setting, and preparing for a career in full-time ministry. Our interns read and learn, both in a classroom setting and also through practical application. Aside from our deliberate desire to teach and train volunteers and interns for mission service, visitors provide an added hand to assist with ongoing projects and ministry programs.

Some of this year’s visitors were met with extreme anticipation given their prior involve-ment with Dream Center. In April, we welcomed Matt Wolfe and his father, Tom. Matt has been a faithful supporter of the ministry, giving hours of his time to work on architectural plans and drawings for all of the current and future buildings at Dream Center. Matt was thrilled to see some of the projects he had worked on being built before his very eyes.

We also welcomed Evan Rummel and Emily Shattuck from TTW USA office who spent a number of months with us, integrating into the ministry and catching a vision that they could return with to the home office. Evan focused specifically on capturing film and video images that can be used to share the stories of trasnformation coming out of DCU. Emily assisted with our Venture Program Interns.

Visitors welcomed to Dream Center in 2011

March 2011 Team from Eastern Christian High School, NJApril 2011 Tom & Matt Wolfe (Dream Center Architect)July 2011 GUTS Team from TTW USAJune - August 2011 Interns, Steve Gunther & Renee EbrechtMAY - September 2011 TTW USA Staff, Evan Rummel & Emily Shattuck


2011 Expenses2011 Support

6%Administration

Program Operation 86%

61%Community Development

26%Facilities & Equipment

7%Governance

Below demonstrates a breakdown of how we used donor dollars to support our ministry.

Hundreds have joined us to support the work of Dream Center. This breakdown

shows where our total support came from.

6%

28%

58%

Churches

Individual DonorsEvents

8%Teams

Financial Reports

FY 2011 FY2010

ADMINISTRATION Accounting $ 1,000 Bank Fees $ 390 Insurance $ 3,304 Conferences/Meetings $ 1,741Travel & Lodging $ 1,884Other Administrative Expenses $ 90 $ 8,409 (6%) $ 11,623 (9%)GOVERNANCEBusiness Registration Fees & Gov’t Expenses $ 2,604Permit Fees $ 2,030Visa Fees $ 4,354Legal & Other Professional Services $ 944 $ 9,932 (7%) $ 19,205 (14%)FACILITIES/EQUIPMENTVehicles $ 14,276Rent $ 13,886Utilities $ 2,097Depreciation $ 3,670 $ 33,929 (26%) $ 36,268 (27%)PROGRAM OPERATIONSPostage, Printing, Supplies $ 1,108Communications (Internet/Phone) $ 2,097Payroll Expenses $46,767Ministry Programs $30,914 $80,886 (61%) $ 67,343 (50%)

TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED $133,155 $134.439

analysis of total resources expended

Financial Summary FY2011 FY2010INCOME Unrestricted Income $144.971 $223,864 Restricted Income $ 13,854Other Income $ 16 _________ _________ $158,841 $223,864

EXPENSES

Administration $ 8,408 $ 11,623Governance $ 9,932 $ 19,205Facilities/Equipment $ 33,929 $ 36,268Operations $ 34,119 $ 38,824Payroll $ 46,767 $ 28,519 _________ _________ $133,155 $134,439

Net Income $ 25,686 $ 89,425

Financial PositionASSETS FY2011 FY2010

FIXED ASSETS $139,625 $ 97,910 CURRENT ASSETS Cash in bank/on-hand $ 18,669 $ 28,100 Prepaid Expenses $ 4,463 $ 8,650 $ 23,132 $ 36,750 Creditors: Due w/in 1 year $ (4,417) $ (2,000) TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS $ 18,715 $ 34,750 TOTAL ASSETS $158,340 $132,660

LIABILITIES + NET ASSETS

NET ASSETS Unrestricted $139,450 $ 97,670 Restricted $ 174 $ 244 Net Current Assets $ 18,715 $ 34,750 TOTAL NET ASSETS $158,340 $132,660

TOTAL LIABILITIES + NET ASSETS $158,340 $132,660

*An independent audit was carried out by Zenith & Associates, Kampala, Uganda and the financial statements give a true and fair view of the state of the Company’s affairs as of 30th September 2011.

* Net income is committed to future operations


Ministry LeadershipTTW Board of Directors Jeff Boucher (Founder and President) John Stanley Sr. (Chairman) Pamela Abma Pete Franco Tom Greico Steve Lauda

DCU Board of Directors Asaasira Gracious Robert (Founding Member & Executive Director) Jesse Kroeze (Founding Member & Country Director) Jeff Boucher (Founding Member & TTW President) Noel Owuor (Africa Funding Coach, Navigators International) Micah Rwothumio (Pastor, University Community Fellowship) Edward Sekabanja (President/Lawyer, Sekabanja & Co. Advocates)

DCU STAFF Jesse Kroeze (Country Director) Asaasira Gracious Robert (Executive Director) Jeff Gunther (Project & Enterprise Director) Charles Dickens Kilama (Project Foreman) Moses Lapir Okello (Project Supervisor) Faith Seina Nchore (Community Social Worker) Edwin Mutai (Community Social Worker) Andrea Kroeze (Office Administrator) Jane Aol (Bookkeeper)

“Restoring Lives By Empowering Communities”

Dream Center Uganda // P.O. Box 1109, Gulu // Uganda // www.dreamcenteruganda.orgTouch The World // 1 Maple Street, Allendale, NJ 07401 // www.touchtheworld.org

dream center uganda annual report

Documents

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