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Dear Friends and Donors, 2021 was a memorable year for Wells of Life in so many ways. We took some remarkable steps forward as an organization, and we are poised for even greater growth in the years to come. I am very thankful to our board president, Mr. Pete Callahan, for filling in for me and keeping you updated each month. I’m thankful to my entire staff, board members, and volunteers at Wells of Life for doing a tremendous job this year. I am especially thankful for all of our donors, who assisted us in a record-breaking year; even as I faced a significant health challenge. It’s a relief to be nearing the end of my year-long journey to defeat cancer. I will conclude my final surgery on Dec. 14th. It’s also likely I will be seeing many of you, as Michelle and I are hosting this year's Wells of Life Christmas party at our home here in San Juan Capistrano on Dec 10th. The kindness and support of everyone has been invaluable in my healing journey. May we all be looking forward to enjoying the blessings of family and friends this holiday season. I love this time of the year in San Juan Capistrano with the cooler weather, crisp mornings, and busyness as we prepare for Advent and the celebration of the Christmas season. May this year leave all of you with many great memories. You will be asked many times by many different charities to give in the days and weeks ahead. Please consider putting Wells of Life at the top of your list. A donation to Wells of Life is a wonderful choice that is sure to transform lives. Giving water in Jesus’s name to another person is the greatest gift you can give. If you are unable to use the giving envelope provided, please consider giving it to another person who may be looking for a worthwhile cause to support before year-end. Merry Christmas!

Wells of Life - December Newsletter: The Well 2021 Happy Holidays! From our family to yours. Intentional gift guide. Gift with purpose.

As the year-end approaches and we start to look at our tax picture for 2021, let me suggest a great idea to save taxes and to help those in such great need. Several years ago I bought 200 shares of a tech stock for $15 a share ($3,000) It’s now worth $80 a share, after staying static and even declining a bit. My financial advisor says it’s probably peaked and suggested selling and taking my profits. But if I sold it for $16,000 in 2021 inflated dollars, I have to pay capital gains tax on $13,000! That takes a considerable bite out of those profits. Instead, he suggested that I give the stock to Wells of Life and get a tax write-off for the entire $16,000, and Wells of Life can then sell it for that same amount, financing two wells at the price of $8,000 each! Talk about a wise, win-win strategy - I get a substantial tax reduction, and 2,000 people get clean water for decades! Take a look at your portfolio, talk to your financial advisor if you have one, and if you have a similar appreciated investment, (stocks, bonds, real estate, or anything else that has appreciated in investment value) you might consider taking advantage of this tax situation while it remains on the books. For more information, call our treasurer, Mike Raguse, CPA at (714) 544-4850. Peter M. Callahan, President www.wellsoflife.org (714) 264-5594 cell

I N T H E S P O T L I G H T : W E L L # 5 9 6 Kyato is a remote village in the district of Kassanda, Uganda. For decades, the people of this community have suffered from diseases such as cholera, diarrhea, and other diseases brought by drinking dirty water. Without a clean water source, residents had no option but to fetch water from stagnant ponds and dirty streams around the village. It had always been a feeling of uncertainty and danger for the residents and children’s health in this community. In 2021, Wells of Life, with support from THE ROTARY CLUB OF LAGUNA NIGUEL, CALIFORNIA-USA, drilled well #596 in Kyato village. Today, there is plenty of cleanwater that is safe for drinking and use in daily chores tosupply the 160 households of the community. “Today we have a new well in our village, water-borne diseases will be a thing of the past. Reports of children suffering from diarrhea and cholera are decreasing at Luselegenyi Health Center III, where we all go for medical care. We are relieved, thanks to you” says Steven Bbosa, 53, Local Council I Chairman of Kyato village. The well is strategically located near Kyato Primary School, where over 230 students will have safe access to clean water and better health. Community members now have an opportunity for a bright future through time, health, and education. Allan Kyeyune, 14, a pupil at Kyato Primary School says he goes to the new well at least 12 times a day, fetching water for his family because of the short distance between the well and his home. He says he is excited to be able to drink clean water after a football game with his friends on hot sunny days. He dreams of playing for the Uganda Football National team someday. Martin Okello, 37 years old, says the well is providing him with a livelihood ever since it was drilled in the village. Being a single father, he works hard to support his 4 children. With the help of his motorcycle, he fills clean water into 8 jerrycans and delivers them to households that are located far from the well at a fee of $1 for 3 jerrycans. Stella Kakuuto, a mother of 2, shared the helplessness she felt when her children would grow sick due to their previous water source. Luckily, her children are thriving today and attending primary school daily. “Water is a basic necessity of life, our new well is giving us this basic necessity, thank you so much Wells of Life,” concluded Stella (pictured above). Thank you Rotary Club of Laguna Niguel!

Nalwadda Juliet, 40 “One night, my child was so sick and he was sweating with a very high fever. I was scared and had to quickly rush him to Samuel Mukasa, the Village Health Team (VHT) worker, to get him medical first aid in the wee hours of the night. I feared my little boy would not make it to the next day if I had not got him any medicine”, recalls Nalwadda Juliet, a 40-year-old mother of five. She recalls the hard times when her family frequently suffered from typhoid because of drinking dirty contaminated water from a pond. The nearest healthy facility, Kassanda Health Center III, is 7 miles away from her community which made it hard for residents of Katovu village to get treatment for the frequent water-borne disease infections. Getting a cup of clean water for a child shouldn’t be difficult, but here in Katovu village, Kassanda district; it used to be a struggle to have enough clean water in the home for children to drink, let alone for other basic needs before a modern well was drilled in the area. “We had great difficulties getting water in the past,” recollects Samuel Mukasa, the 35-year-old VHT, and father of three young children. “My wife and children had to climb up steep slopes to get to a pond in Bukkoki valley.” The water shortages forced residents to choose between cooking and bathing. “During the dry season, my children only bathed once or twice a week and we rarely washed our clothes because the pond would dry up leaving us no options but to walk to Lussaba village searching for water,” says Samuel. In most Ugandan traditions, culture has it that fetching water is usually women and children’s responsibility—which was often risky for women in Katovu village. Many reported being harassed when collecting water from the pond. “The pond had bushes around which made women vulnerable to attacks from men when fetching water,” explains Juliet. “It was also especially difficult for pregnant women to go down and get water from that pond. But we prayed that the Almighty God could see us through all our water struggles one day,” she continues. In 2018, well #355 was drilled in Katovu village by Wells of Life in honoring the life of Margaret Jordan (USA). The well changed the grim reality that Juliet and the rest of the community were experiencing by providing abundant clean drinkable water to Katovu residents and the neighboring communities of Lussaba and Kamuli. The well is the only reliable source of clean water for over 1500 people and has helped in preventing epidemics caused by water-borne diseases. Families in Katovu village now have easy access to the water source because it is close by. “Today, we have easy access to clean water right near our home,” says Samuel. “This is really good for my children. Nowadays, they take a bath every day, and wash their dirty clothes daily, especially the school uniforms.”He shares. Best Hour Primary School, in Kamuli village, is the main education center for the children from Katovu village. Juliet says the well has also solved some of the security problems for women and girls in the community. “Women and girls can easily and safely collect water now,” she says. This is because the well stands close to most households in the community - making it safer. Juliet conveyed her gratitude to Wells of Life for the well that has improved health conditions for her family and the community. “Thanks to you, Wells of Life. My children no longer suffer from typhoid fevers; they are healthier because we drink clean water. May God reward your generosity with blessings,” she concluded.

With the precious gift of clean water, 13-year-old student Julius is now overflowing with happiness. Meet Julius, a 13-year-old boy who lives in Nkuubi village. A bright and caring young boy who enjoys playing with his friends and spending most of his days outdoors. However, affected by the water condition in his community, Julius cannot live a carefree life as children should. The beautiful green landscape that Julius is surrounded by is sometimes dulled by the community’s struggle to obtain clean water. Without access to safe water, he is normally burdened by the task of retrieving water for his family. Days that Julius should be in school are traded with strenuous walks to collect water at the nearest source-- which is ridden with bacteria and diseases. “I lost count of times that I needed to use water but could not access it to brush my teeth daily, bathe and quench my thirst after playing soccer with my friends at school,” says Julius, tired of the water condition in the village. Because of our donors, Daniel and Rachel Dickhut, Wells of Life was able to drill Well #542 in Nkuubi village. This will provide clean water to over 70 households and eradicate the dangerous walk children, like Julius, had to endure. The well does not only provide clean drinking water, but it also provides water for basic hygiene practices that can be taught and learned throughout Nkuubi Village. After Well #542 was drilled, Julius no longer has to worry about missing school or not playing with his friends because of the inaccessibility to clean water. He and the children of Nkuubi can now focus on their studies and fulfill their dreams. For Julius, he aspires to one day become a vehicle mechanic like his father. Thanks to you, our lovely donors, clean and accessible water is a blessing that those in Nkuubi village are able to enjoy. In gifting a well to communities like Julius', you are not only giving the gift of health but the gift of a worry-free life to children and many others. “Clean water is a precious gift. Today, I don’t worry if there will be enough water to fill my jerry can.” - Sselwanga Julius, Nkuubi Village, 2020 There are many villages still waiting for clean water. Click here to start a fundraiser to benefit thousands of families in Uganda.

Luyima has come together with Wells of Life to provide clean water to Jemba-West Village Luyima Joseph is the Head Teacher at Jemba Learning Center, one of three schools in Jemba-West Village, which is located in Kassanda District. Luyima is a hopeful teacher that wants to provide a safer space for his students to learn. This means clean water that is accessible to students, staff, and those in the community. Luyima is a husband and has 2 kids of his own-- Mukiibi John (6) and Luyima Joseph Junior (2), so he understands the blessing of a clean water source near schools. Those living in Jemba-West Village have slowly come together to build three schools in the village. However, none of which have a clean water source. Students have to walk to Baale Valley to reach a water source-- a swamp which is shared amongst cattle, goats, and houses many illnesses. The unclean water is normally used for drinking and cooking in the school kitchen. Children travel for unclean water and quickly become sick due to the indigestible bacteria found in the swamp. This means that children suffer for days from diarrhea and typhoid and are unable to attend school. Luyima mentioned that even if the sick children decide to attend school, this means that 1 bathroom is shared amongst 160 other students. On days that children miss school, they normally spend time in the closest healthcare facility which is a 10-mile walk into Kassanda Town. With over 20 million Ugandans living without access to clean water, Luyima was determined to make a change in his community, even if it was a small one. When this story was made known to Wells of Life, we knew it was our duty to provide clean, digestible, and accessible water. Through our donors, we were able to drill a clean water source near Jemba Learning Center. Today, Luyima has noticed a drastic change in Jemba-West Village. Now that clean water is accessible, schools run more efficiently while providing water for staff, students, and the community. Many of the illnesses that were caused by unclean water have drastically reduced and there are more kids attending school to reap the benefits of education and a clean water source. Because of your support, we can provide a community like Luyima’s, with clean, safe water that will remove many obstacles that stand between families and a healthy life. To learn more about how you can help with clean water initiative in Uganda, click here.

Miss Uganda 2020/2021, Wells of Life and She for She come together to provide young girls with sustainable menstrual kits and long lasting education. Through her social work, Bagaya’s ultimate goal is to empower women and young girls to create a safe space for their goals and aspirations. Recently, Elizabeth Bagaya partnered with Wells of Life and She for She to further her advocacy for female hygiene and to minimize the stigmatization behind menstruation. It was the perfect time to perform the groundwork to end the misinformation about menstruation. Ever since the pandemic has affected everyone in so many different ways, women in Uganda were lacking necessities even more, such as menstrual products. Wells of Life partnered with the Menstrual Hygiene Management Program (also referred to as “She for She”) in coincidence with the organization's Healthy Village Program efforts. This partnership provides a well-rounded education to young girls about their menstrual cycle and how to care for themselves during their periods. Wells of Life also created an education program for males to reduce the bullying rate girls encounter due to their menstrual cycles. Before, many girls would miss school because of the absence of menstrual products such as pads, and even lacked basic knowledge about menstruation. Every three and a half weeks, girls miss on average about three days of school because of their menstrual cycles. With the lack of pads, sanitation, and menstrual knowledge, girls were often bullied because of their periods. Now, girls such as Namyalo Sandra, a 14-year-old from Mityana village, can continue their daily activities even if they are menstruating. “This is so relieving... now we don’t have to miss classes because of our periods,” said Namyalo Sandra. With the help of Elizabeth Bagaya and the Menstrual Hygiene Management Program partnership, many young girls in Mityana are now equipped with the knowledge and products to end the stigmatization behind menstruation. “With the She for She menstrual kits [Wells of Life] [has] donated to these young girls, [they] have given them something they were not able to afford,” says Bagaya. The collaboration between Elizabeth Bagaya, Wells of Life, and She for She, has given many girls in Uganda the confidence to unapologetically be themselves and understand that their hopes and dreams matter to us all. With a solid team effort, these girls are ready to end the stigmatization behind menstrual cycles, spread awareness for women's health, and actively work towards their educational goals. With your donation, you are able to provide girls with reusable pads and menstrual hygiene education. Click this link to visit our partnership website to learn more about how you are able to help beyond donations.

Team Uganda Activity Update - Keeping communities alive and healthy with safe water, toilets, and good hygiene. Being able to live in a safe, clean, and healthy environment is a basic human right. For the children in Uganda, many schools do not meet the national standard for WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) which makes living in a healthy environment a challenge. In 2018, the government of Uganda implemented the WASH criterion with the hopes of improving the facilities and schools throughout the country. Since then, Wells of Life has encouraged their very own Healthy Village Program that holds training sessions with the members of Ugandan School Management Committees implementing WASH. In September of this year, the organization worked hand-in-hand with the District Education Officer (DEO), District Inspector of Schools (DIS) in Mityana and Kakindu Sub County to implement a capacity-building initiative that provided in-person training to community members including head teachers and instructors working for the School Management Committee (SMC). With 46 participants, being both men and women, the ultimate goal of the program was to increase the knowledge of community members of the function of the SMC and how to effectively utilize the WASH program to increase schools' water, sanitation, and hygiene performance. As a result, 10 schools received development plans which facilitated the knowledge of WASH standards and the resources needed to make the program successful. Wells of Life is thankful to the Mizigo community in Mityana for opening its doors so that it could further help schools and parishes maintain safety and access to clean water. For the nonprofit organization, it is essential to empower communities, support schools, and commit to sustainable programs that further fight the scarcity of water. Wells of Life is committed to providing every child and family with a predictable, safe, and clean environment through the WASH Program. To learn more about the Healthy Village (WASH) Program with Wells of Life, visit our website at https://www.wellsoflife.org/healthyvillageprogram

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