End of Year Letter

December 13, 2010

Dear Friends of Promise International,

Where do we begin to share all that you have provided this year for the children we serve?   2010 has been an amazing year for Promise International, and a turning point for the organization.   With your generous support, here are some of the things we have been able to do for the 414 children at the four facilities we serve in Uganda:

OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

Kihonge Children’s Development Center
1. Install cement floors in two buildings to help prevent disease and protect the school materials/books from the dirt floors.
2. Provide $2500 operating income each semester to pay the teachers.  Last year, Kihonge was rated 2nd in the district for excellence in education!

Prossy Nabagesserra private home
1. Provided tuition for all seven children that Prossy houses.
2. Purchased two sewing machines for Prossy to use to provide income for the household.

Bweya Children’s Home
1. Purchased text books for the home
2. Sent funding for library furniture

Gateway Mercy Ministries
1. Secured a grant to provide all the educational funding for the next three years.   This pays for the teachers, supplies, books, uniforms, etc.  for the school.
2. Significantly improved the nutrition of the 65 children at the home; diet now includes eggs, fruit, vegetables, and meat.
3. Secured 2.5 acres in Entebbe to build a new facility to house these children.  Their current facility is located next to a swamp outside of Kampala.

THE VISION:  VOCATIONALLY INFUSED EDUCATION

With the belief that education is the cornerstone to lifelong sustainability, PI offers these precious children:

• A solid foundation of Christian faith, a spirit of giving, and the value of community involvement.
• A value-added academic curriculum to help advance and increase the number of children who progress to higher levels of education, including secondary and university levels.
• Entrepreneurial skills to encourage self-care and tangible strategies for self-sustainability.
• Age-appropriate vocational skills training within the academic setting to compete beyond their local community and toward a more global market.

Historically, PI has responded to the most immediate needs at each of the four locations-providing food, shelter, clothing, and educational supplies.  However, with the educational gap presenting the most defining obstacle for self- sustainability and success, PI’s vision for the future involves three near-term goals:

(1)  Building a Promise International model facility-Promise International Children’s Development Centre.
(2)  Relocating the children from the Gateway Mercy Ministries facility (and away from a mosquito-infested swamp) into this new facility.
(3)  Continuing the established relationships with the other three facilities, providing educational support, and seeking funding for other projects, as needed.

Accomplishing these goals is consistent with PI’s long-term vision of not only addressing immediate living and educational needs, but also offering a clear path for life-long sustainability with the opportunity for the children to compete for jobs and pursue careers in Ugandan society.

THE NEED FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT

We are asking you, our current donors and friends, to join us in celebrating our collective accomplishments, but also recognize the challenges ahead.  Our goals for 2011 are to:

(1)  Secure educational funding for all our children through our Sponsor a Child Program.
(2)  Secure funding to build our new PI Development Center.  Phase I is estimated at $150,000 to provide a school/home for the 65 children at Gateway Mercy.

Please consider us in your year-end pledges, and the children you so generously have supported in the past.

Wishing you and your families a Blessed Holiday Season,

Your Friends at Promise International