On January 21st, 2023 GiveLight Socal Team put together a wonderful event for the first time in Irvine, CA. Over the past few years, the team has curated many unique and memorable events but mainly targeting the Upland / Empire area as most of our core team members reside in that part of Southern California. The theme was High Tea but it was open to men as well.
We praise God the Almighty for granting us another beautiful & blessed event filled with light. Thank you to our amazing team led by Khadija Harsolia and Rohee Ahmad. This event would not have been possible without the dedication of our core team members Jaza Aseya, Afroze Bari, Fiona Darsot, and the generosity of our sponsors. Thank you to everyone who attended the sold-out event. We hope you left feeling inspired.
Below are the reflections from Amir Memon who attended the event with his wife Muneeba. Both of them have been supporting our work since the early years and we are so blessed to have their support.
“I learned about GiveLight while living in the Bay Area, Northern California for several years. I attended one of GiveLight’s first events and I’ve had the pleasure to be a donor since then. Every single year they’d impress me with how much of an impact they had in improving the lives of orphans around the world.
The children are raised with ihsaan (beautiful excellence), and some of them are fully grown now and have become professionals in a diverse set of fields. I remember that after the 2004 tsunami there was an image in Indonesia showing that all the homes were destroyed and only one building was left standing — the central masjid. The imam of that masjid was martyred and his son lived. GiveLight gave that boy a home and a beautiful upbringing. He went on to pursue sacred Islamic knowledge and became an alim, following in his father’s footsteps. Similarly, children that have grown up with GiveLight have become nurses, scholars, bankers, teachers, and have pursued other great endeavors. Many have gotten married and have families of their own.
When I teach my kids about Sabr (patience) – especially the perseverance aspects of it, I’d be thinking of our sister Dian Alyan. It’s very difficult to go through so many obstacles to accomplish what she did, but what’s even more impressive is that she keeps making progress and amplifying that impact year after year. She does this by attracting sincere helpers, talent, and people around the world to keep it operating efficiently and growing.
When I teach my kids about tawakkul (placing one’s trust in Allah), and pushing forward with good intentions, Dian and GiveLight also come to mind. Dian has told us stories about how she wanted to open up an orphanage in an area, and although there was no clear path to it, she placed her trust in Allah, carried forward, and was given openings. People have donated land and entire homes and buildings to make this possible. The help of Allah keeps coming to this organization, and Allah loves those who place their trust in Him.
After moving to Orange County, I had every intention to continue donating to GiveLight, but what I didn’t know was that GiveLight would come to my city here to host an event! The event was in a beautiful setting with fancy catering donated by a local supporter. The presentations are vivid and filled with passion as Dian and others update us on progress and the vision going forward. It’s best for people to attend in person the next time there’s an eve