As I pause to reflect on the year now drawing to a close, my heart overflows with gratitude to our Most Merciful Creator. 2025 was a year of profound growth, healing, and hope—a year in which light appeared again and again, from our homes across the world to our partners and volunteers here in the Bay Area and beyond.
So much beauty unfolded this year. What follows are just a few of the moments that reminded me why GiveLight exists—and why hope, when nurtured, always multiplies.
Lives Transformed Through Education
- Ridha, who came to us at just 10 years old, graduated from university and is now a psychologist—ready to heal others with the compassion shaped by her own journey.
- Sara, who arrived at age 12, graduated as an accountant and is now part of the GiveLight family professionally, helping manage bookkeeping and home operations with dedication and pride.
In Bangladesh, eight of our girls passed their high school examinations and are now entering college preparatory programs—dreaming boldly of becoming teachers, engineers, and entrepreneurs. Their dreams are no longer distant; they are forming, solid, and within reach.
Amplifying Our Mission Across Campuses
I was deeply honored to speak this year at several prestigious universities, including Harvard, Columbia, UCLA, and Simon Fraser University in Vancouver. At Columbia alone, we now have a strong volunteer base of more than 15 students, and our goal is to build that same level of engagement across every campus we visit—awakening young leaders to the power of service and compassion.
Community, Connection, and Celebration
GiveLight reached a key milestone this year: 20 years of giving light !!. Instead of holding one major events, I decided to host at least 20 events. And we hosted over 20 events across the Bay Area, Southern California, Louisville, Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia—bringing together passionate volunteers, generous donors, and new friends who now walk alongside us. We also introduced three new events—Chaat Fiesta, Pool Party, and Make-Up Tutorial—each welcoming new supporters and expanding our community across generations and backgrounds. Nine amazing women held their own unique event and collectively raised over $40,000 for our cause this past year. Simply wonderful to witness the results when talents meet purpose.
Our anchor events, Global Walk and Global Bistro, once again drew hundreds of participants and ignited excitement among our youth volunteers.
We closed the year with two unforgettable celebrations:
- “Jeans & Jewels,” our signature event led by our incredible Southern California team
- A sold-out “Year-End Glam Night,” sending us into the new year with joy and momentum
Returning Home: Time With Our Children
We are deeply grateful to Muhammad for giving his time and heart to our children. They adore him and are already looking forward to his return.
One of the greatest blessings of this year was being able to travel and spend time with our children—moments I will treasure forever.
Pakistan
In April, I traveled to Multan with three Bay Area volunteers. Though the trip was shortened due to rising regional tensions, the time I spent with our GiveLight children was like a precious jewel—brief, radiant, unforgettable.
When I arrived with bags of their favorite chicken broast, the children stood in neat rows, showering me with rose petals and handmade cards.
“Welcome home, Ummi.”
“I love you, Ummi.”
The next day, we sang Urdu songs on a bus ride, prayed together in an open field, practiced yoga under the sun, and distributed tote bags lovingly made by Adobe employees through my dear friend Aparna. At sunset, we stood on a rooftop overlooking Multan’s crimson sky.
As we left, the children chanted, “Pakistan Zindabad!”—their voices rising like a prayer. I promised them I would return. They know I mean it.
Istanbul
In September, I reunited with our children at the Fatih Center in Istanbul—a city suspended between continents and centuries. We spent our days reciting Quran, singing nasheed, practicing yoga, and walking through quiet parks by the water, the sky impossibly blue above us.
On the Asian side of the city, I met 14 newly orphaned children and their mothers, who welcomed us with lovingly prepared meals. Under a willow tree, we repeated our rituals of joy—prayer, laughter, songs—while a small Istanbul cat quietly joined our circle, as if it too belonged.
Before leaving, I met two Syrian doctors who generously donated 4,000 square meters of land in Aleppo for a future GiveLight home. God willing, I will stand on that land next year and begin a new chapter—helping Syrian orphans rebuild their futures in their own homeland.
Cape Town
Cape Town greeted me with warmth after a long, exhausting journey. Our home there is breathtaking—the mushola perched above Table Mountain, lakes, and the Atlantic Ocean. At dawn, we prayed together in golden stillness before the girls headed to school.
Our days were filled like any big family’s:
- hide-and-seek
- cooking together
- reading stories aloud
- laughing until our sides hurt
When the girls begged to go swimming, I agreed—unaware the water would be freezing. I stayed in for 45 minutes anyway. Their joy was worth every shiver.
One evening, we attended a reenactment of Surah Al-Kahf, leaving the girls wide-eyed with wonder. Another blessing followed: Friday prayer at one of Cape Town’s largest mosques, with Mufti Menk delivering the sermon. That evening, we attended his lecture as VIP guests.
“You are GiveLight,” he said backstage.
“We are light upon light. Together, we give light.”
Our final days were filled with coastal drives, ice cream under cloudy skies, seafood by the ocean—and then the hardest part: goodbye. I hugged each girl tightly, whispering love, reassurance, and prayer. God willing, I shall return soon.
A Letter Written Above the Clouds
October 6, 2025
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
My beloved children,
I write these words from high above the clouds, beneath a quiet, starry sky. I replay every moment we shared—each a gift from Allah. I cannot erase what hurt you, but I am here to remind you that joy is still possible. A heart once broken can shine again.
GiveLight itself was born from heartbreak, and Allah turned it into beauty and purpose.
Be grateful—for your breath, your heartbeat, your blessings seen and unseen. Gratitude opens the doors of heaven. Put Allah at the center of your heart, and He will give you a happiness no one can ever take away.
With endless love and prayers,
Ummi Dian
Closing Reflection
When the tsunami struck in 2024, I was devastated—grieving my personal loss while watching my hometown shattered to pieces. That loss can never be replaced. Yet, through His infinite mercy, God filled my heart with His divine love by entrusting me with a role I hold sacred: being a mother to GiveLight children.
For this honor, and for the light that continues to grow from pain into purpose, I am forever grateful.