2023 impact
& generosity report
A massive thank you to our partners, supporters,
and volunteers! You are the reason why hundreds of children are now able to laugh, learn and heal. Thanks to your kind hearts and generosity, we've been able to create safe spaces for these little ones to thrive in. You truly made 2023 a year of hope and happiness and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
Turn sound on
Thank you
In 2023, we marked the fifteenth anniversary of Droplets In A Stream. As I reflect upon our journey, the word that comes to mind is faithful. From our partners in Africa to our donors and volunteers, we’ve been blessed with the unwavering faithfulness of those who support our cause.
In Africa, our partners have been working tirelessly for years with very little resources. Despite the challenges they face, they remain committed to improving the lives of children in their communities. Their faithfulness is truly inspiring, and we are honoured to work alongside them.
Our donors, too, have shown remarkable faithfulness in their giving. We are constantly amazed by the generosity of those who support our mission and help us make a tangible difference in the lives of children. Without your continued support, we would not be able to achieve the incredible impact that we have.
And of course, we cannot forget our volunteers, who give so generously of their time and energy to support our cause. Their faithfulness to our mission is evident in everything they do, and we are so grateful for their dedication and hard work.
It is with great joy that we announce that this year has been our best year yet in terms of donations. Your contributions have allowed us to expand our reach and impact in ways we never thought possible. We could not have achieved this incredible milestone without your help, and we want you to know how truly grateful we are for your support.
Looking forward, we’re excited to make a difference in the lives of even more children and create a brighter future for all. Thank you for your faithfulness, and for joining us in this important work.
Rodney Callanan
Director and Co-Founder
NO CHILD
SHOULD LIVE IN
FEAR AND POVERTY
In 2023, you helped us support four charities
in East Africa focused on creating lasting change
in their communities. Together we provided:
education
Every child deserves
the chance to reach their full potential.
child
protection
Every child deserves
protection from violence and exploitation. Every survivor deserves justice and care.
healthcare
Every child and adult deserves access
to healthcare.
My name is *Precious.
Thank you for giving me
a chance to go to school.
Your faithful support in 2023 made an incredible impact
1.08m
raised in donations
by our amazing community
878
children received
free, life-changing education
3299
children and adults received free
medical care
My name is *Kingston.
Thank you for helping
me to have the surgery
I needed.
157
children rescued
from trafficking
and exploitation
164
children received
trauma-informed care
post abuse
73
child survivors
received protective housing and aftercare
483
children and adults
receiving counselling
101
vulnerable families
received groceries
and food support
1511
children and adults enjoyed Christmas celebrations
17
families
received housing assistance
759
people received assistance:
food hampers, building maintenance, transport
to doctors, etc
A gift to Droplets In A Stream
makes the impossible possible.
Let’s look at our partner highlights.
Kyampisi, Uganda
Kyampisi Childcare Ministries
In 2023, KCM worked tirelessly to keep children safe from the horrors of sacrifice and trafficking.
St Paul’s Rehabilitation Centre
Currently, the Rehab Centre houses and cares for 91 children, aged 9 months to 17 years old. These children receive trauma-informed care and loving support as they recover from child sacrifice, neglect, trafficking, and abuse.
The Rock Hill School
The Rock Hill School is a safe and happy place where the most vulnerable children in Mukono receive quality education. The school welcomes all children from the Rehabilitation Centre, providing support for those with disabilities and mental health challenges.
Hope's case sets
precedent for child sacrifice
prosecutions in Uganda.
Hope’s captor was sentenced to
44 years in prison but appealed for
a reduced sentence. However,
the high court increased the sentence to life in prison.
Hope’s case has set a crucial precedent for future cases, emphasizing the urgent need for justice, support, medical care, and prevention of child sacrifice.
The International Hope Conference and Gala
KCM’s Annual Hope Event was the largest yet, with 350 officials in attendance including prosecutors, ministries, judicial officers, police, and advocates.
Over 1,000 members of the
public attended the gala, where the children gave a moving performance through song and dance. The event was a powerful step towards ending child sacrifice.
73 Convictions
73 perpetrators were convicted for trafficking and child sacrifice, more than double the previous year.
KCM partnered with police, parliament, and prosecutors
to bolster protection and
justice for children.
Uganda enacted the Prevention and Prohibition of Human Sacrifice Law.
New guidelines are being implemented for prosecutors and judges in the fight against child sacrifice.
Training increased for evidence gathering and victim-centred investigations.
The court implemented anonymous, recorded, or written testimony from victims to prevent child survivors from being re-traumatized.
Nateete, Uganda
Bridge
Christian Ministries
BCM has continued to nurture the growth of young minds with free education in one of Uganda's poorest slums.
New Seasons School
In 2023, the school served 210 students, and the number is expected to increase in 2024 as more children are eager to attend and learn.
A bigger team for a better school!
New Seasons School has a dedicated team of 14 staff members, including one headteacher and 13 teachers. To improve the school's efficiency, the administration has hired additional personnel and created the Executive Director Office. With support from Droplets In A Stream, staff salaries were covered and school supplies were provided to those in need.
Fighting witchcraft.
Saving children.
BCM visited several homes
including some of the renowned "witchdoctors" in the community.
In a powerful display, the witchdoctors handed over their ‘witchcraft tools’ which were burnt in front of the community.
BCM successfully rescued ten children from their parents' witchcraft practices. As a result of this intervention, the parents
of these children have now become members of the BCM church.
Supporting Survivors
BCM supported 56 families including many women and children who were suffering from domestic abuse. The survivors were provided
with counselling and safe living accommodation while the families received counselling.
Health and Nutrition
BCM aided community members battling HIV/AIDS, severe typhoid, malaria and ailing mental health.
300 families received nourishing maize flour and beans.
Christmas giving!
In the spirit of joy and togetherness, BCM organized a Christmas event that will forever be etched in the memories of children, parents, and guardians. All the children received Christmas gifts including cups, plates, flasks, and basins.
Supper for 1500!
BCM held a special New Year celebration to welcome 2024 and every person received supper as
a way of celebration.
Rescued
Kisumu, Kenya
The Milele Home
After opening its doors in 2022, The Milele Home has become a sought-after sanctuary for Kisumu’s most vulnerable mothers and babies.
Kenya’s heartbreaking child-welfare crisis
Teen mothers, victims of sexual violence, and those living in poverty with HIV/AIDS are struggling to care for their newborns. Tragically, these young mothers are often rejected by their communities and forced to fend for themselves and their babies on the streets.
Hope, healing, and new beginnings at Milele
The Milele Home provides a safe and nurturing environment
where young mothers can learn life skills, receive an education, and bond with their babies. With support from Droplets In A Stream, the home received some amazing upgrades including
a solar water pump, tiled flooring, jungle gyms and swing sets!
The power of love and support
Talia and her teenage mum were among the first to seek refuge as residents at Milele. After a year of loving care,
Talia was fortunate enough to be reunited with her grandparents. Her mother's graduation from high school in 2023 made the reunion even more special.
William's inspiring journey
to school for the deaf
William, a 9-year-old hearing-impaired boy, was thrilled to attend school for the first time in his life. He now studies at a school for the deaf and his grandparents are deeply grateful for the help.
We're thrilled to share that the
second group of teen moms have successfully completed their high school education. These young women showed incredible motivation and dedication to their studies.
Club leader, Esther, was especially impressive, achieving a B in her
finals and now has the opportunity
to attend university.
Community Empowerement
Milele employs 3 caregivers, 1 social worker, 1 nurse, 1 academic adviser,
2 cleaners and 10 farm workers.
Overcoming Malnutrition
Upon arrival, Mikah was diagnosed with malnutrition, low weight, and a severe skin infection. With care from Milele, Mikah is now thriving in school and full of energy!
Feeding 40+ families!
The new solar water pump provides enough water to irrigate the fields and farm of Milele. Thanks to this investment, the farm now produces enough fresh produce to feed over 40 families
in the community.
Bungoma, Kenya
Transfer of Responsibility:
A positive change
for the boys
During the course of 2023, Droplets In A Stream transferred responsibility for supporting 30 boys to The Kings Embrace,
a charitable foundation operating in Bungoma.
Established by a U.S. based Christian organization, The Kings Embrace invested in 7 acres of land and completed a new home for street boys in 2019.
Droplets In A Stream provided funding to ensure the future accommodation, care, and education of these young boys. We are confident that this move will provide a better quality of care, living conditions, and educational opportunities for these boys.
Additionally, this agreement will ensure that financial management of activities is conducted with a more structured and rigorous approach than before. We're cheering on the boys as they embark on a new chapter and unlock their full potential!
2023 Donations
1.08m
$1.08M was donated
by our amazing supporters
in 2023. Thank you!
100% of every dollar reaches
the people and projects we support in East Africa.
Donations
how we allocated funds in 2023
Partner Support
$104 000
Supporting the management and
staff of our charitable Partners
in East Africa.
Capital Projects
$439 900
Construction projects, repairs,
asset management, and the acquisition of land and equipment.
Education
$88 333
School staffing wages, desks
and furniture, teaching aids, books, consumables and schools fees.
Child Welfare
$460 815
Rehabilitation costs including
staff and specialist care, counselling sessions, court costs and legal fees, accommodation and nutritional care.
Medical and Health Care
$46 600
Surgeries, hospital and clinical treatments, nursing, inoculations
and vaccinations.
Social Justice
$360 870
Care for the homeless and abused including nutritional care, first aid,
job creation and education.
Every dollar you donate goes directly to the
people and projects we support thanks to our dedicated volunteers contributing their time.
Our management team covers the overhead costs separately,
ensuring that your donation goes towards making a positive impact.
overheads
$36 281
contributed by our directors
for our operating expenses.
Working hand-in-hand
In 2023, we had the privilege of spending a significant
amount of time with our partner organisations in Africa.
Together, we were able to:
Discover new
opportunities to support vulnerable children.
Identify areas for our partners to improve their operations and better serve their communities.
Provide customized training and resources
that address specific challenges and needs.
Host workshops about project management, budgeting, reporting, community engagement, and child welfare.
We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to each
and every one of our volunteers for your incredible dedication, hard work, and unwavering support in 2023.
Your willingness to give your time, energy, and resources to our cause is truly inspiring, and we are grateful for all that you do.
Forever Grateful
By Ashleigh, Droplets In A Stream Finance
In March 2023, I had the honour of meeting the people and children of KCM, one of two Ugandan partners DIAS have supported for over 10 years. The capacity for love and laughter these children continue to have after experiencing incomprehensible horrors is something I will never be able to articulate and something I will forever strive to emulate. To be able to witness the happiness of ONE child who has been rescued will drive me for the rest of my days to continue to support this organization and their people.
I will never be able to adequately thank these children for their hugs and hand holding that has brought me to tears. I will never be able to adequately thank the members of KCM that continue to do the impossible and quite literally change the world with their everyday actions and government lobbying.
The little girl who
wouldn’t stop crying
From a text message that our team member Lauren sent to Rodney after visiting KCM’s Rehab Centre.
There was one little girl who was having a rough day and the psychologist saw me sitting by her, came over and asked me to pray over her. She would barely say a word and was choosing to be away from the fun. The psychologist said I could wipe her tears and soothe her head where it was sore. What broke me is that she wasn’t hysterically crying. But a minute after wiping away her tears, more would just fall down her cheek. The psychologist was asking if she was having bad dreams. She hasn’t been eating much but when I took my snickers out my bag, she ate some and we were so glad she did. Then a few other kids came and sat close by and were very gentle and calm by her.
A Night of Hope
By Michael, Droplets In A Stream IT Support
On the 9th of June, we hosted a donor appreciation dinner at Rydges South Bank, Brisbane. Our Partners, Pastor Peter Sewakiryanga and Pastor Haggai Mwesige were in town, and their heartfelt speeches captured the mood of thankfulness and celebration perfectly.
I found myself captivated by their inspiring stories which deepened my appreciation for the impactful work we do together. As a DIAS volunteer, I have long been familiar with these two gentlemen, and meeting them in person was a true blessing.
Using my phone, I had the privilege of capturing the touching moments shared by our partners and friends of DIAS.
The Night of Hope wasn't just an event; it was a celebration of shared values and a reminder of the positive change we contribute to.
Give Hope
By making a gift today, you can help
our Partners to continue their amazing projects and places of care. Every dollar, every drop and every act of kindness makes a real difference in the lives of these precious children.
partner with us
Email Address
rodney@dropletsinastream.com.au
Website
dias.asn.au
Phone Number
+61 438 211 191
Mailing Address
PO Box 301, Hamilton Central, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 4007
ABN
97 148 011 410
15
Years
of faithful
partnership
