Our Team


GiveLight Foundation was driven solely by US volunteers up to eight years of operation, saving us more than half a million dollars. We were able to mobilize the diverse talents in our community and reached many important milestones without any paid staff. As we grew globally, we had to hire and develop our staff to ensure that we consistently deliver high-quality work.
Our volunteers consist of professionals and executives, stay-home moms, retirees, and students, all driven by the same dream: to help as many orphans as we possibly can.
We are blessed to have so many individuals who are devoting their time, efforts, and talents to make a positive impact on the lives of our children. GiveLight would not be a beautiful reality today without these dedicated individuals.
Founder & President
Dian Alyan
Born in Takengon, Central Aceh, Indonesia, Dian Alyan has lived a richly rewarding global life as a brilliant student, world traveler, and highly successful executive at Procter & Gamble. After losing 40 relatives in the 2004 tsunami, she established GiveLight Foundation with a mission to uplift the lives of orphans worldwide. What began as one home for 50 children has now expanded to support over 1,000 orphans in 11 countries globally. Dian’s work has garnered humanitarian and leadership awards; speaking engagements at prominent universities, Fortune 500 companies, podcasts, radio and television programs; and articles in major publications such as Newsweek and Huffington Post. She loves being a mother to not just her own two boys, but to hundreds of children around the world. Read her story as featured on Huffington Post here and watch her testimony when starting GiveLight here.

BOARD OF ADVISORS

Aamir Rehman
Fajr Capital Limited
Aamir is an expert in global corporate strategy. During his career he has advised several Fortune 500 companies and held positions of Global Head of Strategy for at HSBC Amanah, unit of the world’s 3rd largest bank, and consultant at Boston Consulting Group. An author of Dubai & Co. Global Strategies for Doing Business in the Gulf States, Aamir holds an MBA and MS Middle Eastern Studies from Harvard Business School and Harvard University and a BS from Harvard College. A native of Staten Island, New York, Aamir lives in New York City.

Farhan Syed
Global Sales Operations at LinkedIn
Farhan is Director of Global Sales Operations at LinkedIn. In his capacity he provides advice to LinkedIn leadership and works on building global infrastructure to support sales efforts. His prior work and philanthropic engagements include Bain & Company, Accenture, Qubestone, ING, Zaytuna College, the MCA dawah committee, and the Stanford Islamic school. Farhan holds a BA from the University of California, Berkeley in MCB and Economics, an MA from the University of Pennsylvania in International Studies with a focus on the Middle East and Arabic, and an MBA from The Wharton School.

Imam Zaid Shakir
Zaytuna College
Imam Zaid is a public figure, visionary leader, and amongst the most influential Muslim scholars in the west. Born in Berkeley, CA, he accepted Islam in 1977 while serving in US Air Force. He holds a BA in International Relations at American University, an MA in Political Science at Rutgers University, studies in Cairo. He lectured at many top universities, including Stanford and U.C Berkeley, and is a frequent speaker at Muslim events. He has served his life in activism and started several initiatives and founded several mosques. In 2003, he moved to Hayward, CA with his family to serve as a scholar-in-residence and lecturer at Zaytuna Institute.

John Bowen
Sociocultural Anthropology, Washington University in St. Louis
John currently teaches at Washington University in St. Louis, where he is the Dunbar - Van Cleve Professor and formerly taught at Harvard University. He has taught courses in social theory, religion, legal, society, anthropolgy, and religious pluralism. Currently he leads the University’s program in Social Thought & Analysis, and also a project in International Initiative in Pluralism, Politics, and Religion. He is a prolific writer with many published books including: Law and Equality in Indonesia: An Anthropology of Public Reasoning and a textbook on Religions in practice (Allyn & Bacon). John holds a BA from from Stanford University, a Doctorate from University of Chicago.

Martin Nuechtern
Global Hair Care at Procter & Gamble Company
Martin is a native Austrian who spent his entire career with Procter&Gamble, 11 years of it in Asia, and later led P&G’s business in the ASEAN countries, India and Australia/New Zealand. He also lived and worked in Saudi Arabia, the USA and the UK from where he ran one of the companies five Global Business Units. Martin is currently on the board of the Mast-Jaegermeister SE in Germany. He has volunteered in several leadership positions for churches in the USA, Singapore and England and has been a supporter of GiveLight from its early years. Martin holds a Master and Doctorate degree form the Economy University in Vienna and a M.S.A. from the University of Notre Dame, Indiana.

Safaa Ibrahim

Sharif el Badawi
Sharif is a serial entrepreneur and technology executive, who in his current role as Head of Performance Activation at Google, is responsible for the commercialization and sales strategy of Google’s performance advertising products and solutions where he focuses on helping the world’s largest advertisers reach their customers with targeted and relevant ads. He works with sales teams and clients to understand their specific marketing goals, and with product and engineering teams to provide guidance on market needs. Prior to this role, Sharif was focused exclusively on mobile and has helped clients plan out and execute on best-in-class mobile strategies. He joined Google a little over 3 years ago as part of the company's acquisition of AdMob where he co-founded their performance sales team and pioneered their mobile syndication product. Before AdMob, Sharif founded or co-founded several start-ups in consumer internet, social, video and mobile. He is passionate about helping people and has more than seventeen years of experience in product, marketing, sales and operational functions, and has advised over a hundred companies on their digital go-to-market strategies. He is also an active angel investor, advisor and mentor to several start-ups, and currently lives in the Bay Area with his wife and two children. Sharif earned his bachelors degree in Neuroscience and Philosophy from UCLA and an MBA from UC Irvine’s Merage School of Business.

Tasneem Manjra
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Basil Hashem
Yotascale
Basil is currently Vice President, Product Development for Yotascale, a Silicon Valley software startup. Previously, he was Vice President of Strategy and Advanced Development at VMware. He has also held leadership roles at several Silicon Valley technology startups including some where he was the founder. His experience includes a wide mix of product, engineering and strategy roles at Admob, Mozilla, Yahoo, Netscape and KPMG. He started his career as a software engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Basil holds an MBA from the University of Southern California and a BS in Computer Science from UCLA.

Firasat Ali

Johann Noor

Matthew Mengerink

Noshaba Afzal
OUR TEAM

Brianna Williams
OUR VOLUNTEERS

Aliyah Malek
What about life inspires you?
Some things that inspire me are my best friends and many of my teachers in and out of Granada. I’m passionate about many things but most interested in getting involved with the community and helping others in any way possible.
Why did you choose to volunteer with GiveLight Foundation?
I chose to volunteer with GiveLight because I saw the difference that it would make in the lives of many orphans around the world. I wanted to be a part of that difference and look back and be proud at the choice that I made. The one thing that motivates my commitment to GiveLight is knowing that at the end of the day, I’m helping kids in many parts of the world.
How do you help make a difference by doing what you do here?
I’m in close contact with volunteers trying to set up events for GiveLight. I make Facebook pages to help advertise the event and basically help out in anyway whether that is contacting people or help creating documents.

Aliza Zaman
What about life inspires you?
I am inspired by my interactions with different people and love to talk and understand others' stories, lifestyles, and views. Surrounding myself with others gives me the motivation to be the best version of myself I can be. I enjoy listening to what others have to say as well as making people smile and laugh, and I feel that this genuine human interaction is one of the most important parts of living a happy and healthy life. I also am inspiried to use my position to empower others and create a more loving world.
Why did you choose to work with GiveLight Foundation?
I chose to volunteer at GiveLight because I find what Dian Aunty is doing is very profound and impactful. It is amazing that she was able to create such a powerful organization that cares so deeply about children, specifically orphans, around the world. I felt that I had to take the opportunity to join, even if I was inexperienced, because I was willing to learn in order to help out such a great cause.
How do you help make a difference by doing what you do here?
As a volunteer, I help out with the GiveLight website, composing articles. I also create various graphics and edit videos.

Ameena Arsheen
Ameena has an IT/ Marketing background. She works at a startup, which gives her a lot of opportunity to be creative and do things that adds value to the company.
If she is not working, she is either sewing, doing crafts or doing something with her 4 yr old.
What about life inspires you?
The "opportunity" to do something productive in life inspires me. Alhamdullilah, I have the time, the opportunity to do something positive and productive, that motivates me and others. I love creative work period. Be it web, graphics, crafts, events, designing, sewing; where their is a chance to be creative, I love to be in that project.
Why did you choose to volunteer with GiveLight Foundation?
I have seen what GiveLight has done all these years, they have kept their promise. They have built orphanages around the world, and they are continuously supporting the orphans. The orphan children motivate me everyday. And mainly to please Allah(SWT).
How do you help make a difference by doing what you do here?
I manage the blog of GiveLight. I think its a good way to reach out, raise awareness, motivate more people to join the cause, raise fund, etc.

Ayesha Zia
What about life inspires you?
I have always wondered how the fireflies can sparkle the whole world at night? Those tiny creatures, by the grace of Allah, can bring so much life into darkness. What if we can make it possible to touch others lives by sharing our blessings with less fortunate to make this world a better place to live for others. This desire has always been burning in my heart until I discovered a true light, Give Light organization. Why did you choose to volunteer with GiveLight Foundation?
I was totally intrigued by the idea of supporting and owning an orphanage around the globe without any borders. Being a mother and a professional helping children's communication needs every single day, this cause was a true match to my soul. Sister Dian's selfless love and passion to the orphanage around the globe has drawn me to be a part of this wonderful cause.
How do you help make a difference by doing what you do here?
I got involved with Give Light for the sole to soul campaign, which led to an idea of a very successful fundraiser event, “Tea Party for a Good Cause” at my house. Since then, I have been a member of leading team committee & sponsorship for several Give Light events such as Global Bistro, Give Light Gala, Dream of Africa & GL walkathon etc. I am excited and humbled to be a part of Give Light Foundation and looking forward to many exciting and rewarding series of joyful events that not only bring the joy of giving but to make a difference in thousands of young lives who will hold the reigns of our future soon.

Azleena Azhar
What about life inspires you?
Seeing the beauty of God's creation in the foothills that surround the Bay Area makes me grateful to be alive every day. Also, being part of a wonderful close-knit community inspires me to give back.
Why did you choose to volunteer with GiveLight Foundation?
I joined GiveLight Foundation because I believe that as responsible global citizens, we are entrusted to take care of our orphaned children. I was impressed with how GiveLight not only feeds and clothes hundreds of orphans around the world, but through mentorship and a solid education, helps them grow up to be independent, educated and socially responsible adults.
How do you help make a difference by doing what you do here?
I am part of the GL editing, social media and video teams and edit articles, documents, videos, etc. I help write the script, direct and produce GL's videos that we use in our website and show at our events. It brings me so much pleasure to use the abilities that God have given me to help make a difference in our orphans' lives.

Chaouki Zahzah
Chaouki has over 20 years' experience as an Executive in service delivery, customer success, customer advisory, support operations business development. He is currently the Head of Service Delivery for West North America at SAP. Chaouki is also the President of the Association of Moroccan Professionals in America. He served as the marketing board director for DeAnza Force in Cupertino, CA. Chaouki holds an MBA from the Sorbonne business school in Paris and a Master’s degree from the Polytechnique national institute of Grenoble in France.

Uzma Khan
Uzma is one of the founding members of GiveLight and has been a volunteer and supporter since its inception in 2005. She currently resides in Toronto, Canada and continues to volunteer remotely.
What about life inspires you?
The ability of the human intellect and the achievements of many in making a real difference in the world, is what constantly inspires me. Life is short and every passing day is precious. And that motivates me to make the most of each day by cultivating my sense of purpose and trying to excel in everything I do.
Why did you choose to volunteer with GiveLight Foundation?
My first child was only 8 months old when the tsunami of 2004 left many children orphaned. As a new mother, I couldn't bear to imagine a child left alone to survive without parents. When offering my condolences to Dian, my dear friend who lost many of her own relatives to the tsunami, I came to know of her bigger vision to reach out to the orphaned children of Aceh. I believed in her and her vision and knew I had to be a part of this. So began my journey with GiveLight. Its truly amazing how far we have come by the grace of the Almighty.
How do you help make a difference by doing what you do here?
I have been involved in many tasks from fundraising to organizing events. But since moving to Toronto, have mainly focused on volunteering for things possible remotely like website updates. My most recent undertaking has been handcrafting with great love this brand new site. I hope it serves to inspire people from around the world to support this great cause.

Javed Mohammed
What about life inspires you?
The amazing people that help make this world spin (of course it's all in God's control). It could be a random person I meet, or someone from my intimate circle. I love learning and sharing about life and people and that can come through conversation or a book.
Why did you choose to volunteer with GiveLight Foundation?
I blame sister Dian Alyan. It's all her fault. If she wasn't so inspiring and nice, and a good role model, I could be wasting time elsewhere.
How do you help make a difference by doing what you do here?
I don't know what difference I make. But, what I can say is we all look for meaning in life and I get that through some of the projects I have helped out on, especially "Books of Light." My most memorable experience has been meeting the orphans of Givelight in Oujda, Morocco.

Lamis Diwan
What in life inspires you?
Serving humanity. The only way to change humanity is to serve Allah's glorious creations. My strengths are relationship building and people skills, anything from connecting someone to being an advisory creates an opportunity to serve humanity.
Why did you choose to volunteer with GiveLight Foundation?
Our progeny needs to be held closely to our hearts with guiding advisers whether it's parents or guardians. Every child deserves this opportunity, Givelight's mission is to serve this purpose.
How do you help make a difference by doing what you do here?
I have been helping Givelight since 2014 with hiring, awareness and additional HR (People) operations duties.

Mahira Razzak
What about life inspires you?
The potential of the human being inspires me the most. The world we live in may not be perfect and is often times full of hate, anger and sadness. Yet, each one of us is capable of making a positive impact, whether big or small, and it is through random acts of kindness that joy and hope prevail.
Why did you choose to volunteer with GiveLight Foundation?
I was drawn to GiveLight because of Dian's passion and vision. This cause is also near and dear to my heart because I am a parent. Children are a gift from God and the thought of a child being deprived of a normal happy childhood is devastating. I find it extremely rewarding to know that my time and energy are an investment in a child's future and will enable someone to lead a fortunate and productive life.
How do you help make a difference by doing what you do here?
I will continue to spearhead fundraising events such as the global bistro and assist in marketing of key events through social media and other avenues. I hope to assist in every step of the way to achieve Givelight's mission of building and sustaining beautiful homes for children across the globe.

Maidah Chugtai
What about life inspires you?
I am inspired by the array of qualities Allah has endowed each of us with and the enormity of impact it can have if channeled appropriately.
Why did you choose to volunteer with GiveLight Foundation?
GiveLight is a passion driven and action oriented organization that gets things done with virtually no overhead. That is the reason I have stuck with this organization for the last 3 years. My constant contact with the local children that GiveLight supports is what motivates me to carry on.
How do you help make a difference by doing what you do here?
I am an active part of GiveLight's local project. that supports the local orphan children. I am very enthusiastically involved with their mentorship project.

Mehryar Mansoor
Mehryar has been with GiveLight since 2009. He helps out with the technical side of the GiveLight website. From the first time he heard about GiveLight he knew he wanted to be involved with the effort that would make a real difference in the lives of children globally.
What about life inspires you?
That ordinary people can come together to make a difference in the world, is what inspires and drives me.
Why did you choose to volunteer with GiveLight Foundation?
GiveLight's goal to be able to help out orphans in disaster struck areas is what resonated with me, and Dian's relentless drive helps keep me motivated.
How do you help make a difference by doing what you do here?
I work on the sponsorship database, which in some small way helps the GiveLight team engage with all our wonderful supporters.

Mohammed Darwish
He was inspired by the vision and leadership of the founder Dian and the execution of the dedicated and passionate volunteers.
What about life inspires you?
Making a difference, helping others.
Why did you choose to volunteer with GiveLight Foundation?
I was inspired by the passion and commitment of GiveLight volunteers, seeing children who lost everything smiling and happy is motivating.
How do you help make a difference by doing what you do here?
Being there as big brother or uncle and doing fun activities together.

Reema Qadry
Reema is one of the founding members of GiveLight. She currently resides in Seattle and is working on starting a GiveLight - Seattle chapter.
What about life inspires you?
I'll start with my earliest inspirations: the Rocky Mountains which always connected me to the Majesty of God; the feeling of awe when seeing the ocean for the first time at the age of 15; being in the service of others especially the down-trodden and less fortunate.
Why did you choose to volunteer with GiveLight Foundation?
Because there is no saying "No" to Dian Alyan ;). Seriously though, at first it was to help a friend, Dian, who was in a lot of pain and devastated by what had happened to her homeland when the Tsunami hit Aceh. But over the years the reasons have morphed and changed. After becoming a mother, the thought of a child being without their own mother is heartbreaking and unbearable to think about, really. This is a small way of giving back to show gratitude for the blessings in my life.
How do you help make a difference by doing what you do here?
I was there when it was just an idea so I know that every person who has touched GiveLight in the smallest way has helped to build it and make it was it is today. I've recently come back to GiveLight as a volunteer after a long hiatus to focus on other things that life has thrown my way and now, I hope to do what I can to carry forward the great vision for helping more children in need and building loving homes where they will be cared for and loved.

Rimi Khan
What about life inspires you?
Each and every moment. Being a part of something big is an excellent feeling, however, I also get satisfaction from each successful interaction. Givelight has reminded me to enjoy each moment to the fullest and to be grateful.
Why did you choose to volunteer with GiveLight Foundation?
There is a personal connection I feel with GiveLight that is unique to any organization I have ever associated myself with.
How do you help make a difference by doing what you do here?
Honestly I cannot take any credit for making a difference. There is, however a glow inside every volunteer that attracts others to do the same. I am really just happy to be a part of it.

Sadaf Ijaz
Smile...What does it take for anyone to smile? Happiness....is a state of mind that is triggered with a smile and it’s the little things in life that matter the most. All we have to do is just “Pause” for amoment and realize the true essence of happiness is not in “getting” but “giving” selflessly whether it is a smile or small gesture of kindness and love that does and can make a difference in anyone’s life to complete their circle of happiness when they will look back at that memory with a smile.
Why did you choose to volunteer with GiveLight Foundation?
I love to volunteer for GiveLight because it gives me the opportunity to share my love of “giving” and be the reason to spread some love, kindness and happiness in the hearts of children who need it the most. It makes my day just by thinking that I was able to support and make a positive impact in a child’s life to live a healthy and happy life which is the basic right of every human being.
How do you help make a difference by doing what you do here?
I will continue to support and help as much as I can in the fundraising events such as the Global Bistro and Year End Fundraisers and spread the word about how easy and simple it is to share the love of giving to support this beautiful cause to of making and sustaining beautiful homes for children across the globe. I feel truly blessed to be part of the Givelight Team.

Sameena Chisty
She first became involved with Give Light at a Microsoft Game Night, and has since been volunteering at various Give Light fundraising events, such as the Year End Gala, Bistro, Global cuisine, walkathon and is currently the lead of Restaurant Campaign, “Blessed Meal”, in South and East Bay.
What in life inspires you?
“The Act of Giving” inspires me everyday. We all have something that we can give; be it our time, talent, love, or compassion, everyone can do his or her part to make this world a better place. As a mother and teacher, nothing fulfills me more than seeing a child reach their full potential and find their own genius.
Why did you choose to volunteer with GiveLight Foundation?
I choose to volunteer with GiveLight Foundation as I have deep love and compassion for kids. I am greatly inspired by Dian’s passion and dedication towards orphans. In a world where everyone is busy in their own life and challenges, she has so much empathy for the less fortunate and vulnerable children, who have unfortunately gone through the trauma of losing their parents and in some cases, even hope in life.Every kid deserves a childhood where their basic needs are taken care of so that they can dream of a brighter future. If, by volunteering my time and talent I can make a difference in a child’s life, I find it very rewarding.
How do you help make a difference by doing what you do here?
Going forward, I want to continue leading the Restaurant Campaign and contributing towards marketing local fundraising events on Facebook, and will be trying to add new campaigns and ideas to raise more funds. I feel blessed to be a part of Dian’s journey and vision in providing education, a loving family, and beautiful homes for orphans.

Sarah Fatima
What about life inspires you?
Learning new things, travelling, nature, food, children, family, friends, people with a kind & compassionate heart and many more things inspire me. Life is short, I cherish the best moments, forget the bad ones and look forward to making amazing memories.
Why did you choose to volunteer with GiveLight Foundation?
In the past I have mostly done charity by sending money overseas, with little direct impact. I wanted to be more involved, make direct contributions in bringing about a positive change or creating opportunities for under privileged people. I have always had a soft spot for children in my heart. So I started doing research about non-profit organizations that help children to which I could contribute to. During my research I came across the GiveLight Foundation and its amazing cause of providing care for orphans regardless of religion or race. Giving a home to orphans, makes their childhood better, has a direct impact in shaping their future, & the kind of individuals these children will grow up as, this attempt to me is a noble humanitarian cause.
How do you help make a difference by doing what you do here?
I am volunteering with the web management team in helping them post updates and build new content for the Givelight website. This should hopefully help the organization generate more money for orphan care, gather more volunteers and keep all the volunteers across the globe connected through this website.

Sheza Khalid
What about life inspires you?
My life experiences, especially being fortunate to live in three different countries, have greatly informed my outlook on life. I have been able to live and work with diverse people from all walks of life. Working as a researcher in a children’s hospital taught me to practice compassion anchored with trust. It has taught me to give back without recognition and that's the greatest feeling one can experience. I appreciate how fragile life is and my biggest goal would be the reward of knowing that I've made a meaningful difference in bringing about change in these children's lives. If not a significant change then something constructive.
Why did you choose to work with GiveLight Foundation?
I got involved in Give Light after reading about Dian’s mission and vision. After helping at the Give Light 2019 Global Bistro, I realized the importance of Give light’s work and that any part, even a small one, contributes to something much greater, which is impacting the lives of orphans around the world. I also strongly believe that our children need positive role models who can show them how their actions can bring positive change. Through example, I aim to teach them the importance of charity, benevolence, and giving back to the community.
What does Givelight mean to you?
I want to start out by saying that our time on this earth is limited so, GL is a means of benefitting my own soul because it creates a sincere concern for the security of others. Moreover, it gives me the opportunity to put forth my best efforts for the well-being of these children. GL to me is giving children hope/light by providing them a caring and enriching environment that allows them to reach their full potential and in turn have a brighter future. I feel truly grateful and humbled that I can do my small part in ensuring that collectively we can make an immeasurable impact.
What inspires you to keep working with Givelight?
As a mother, seeing children with no necessities or alone in deprived environments breaks me to my core. It would be an understatement to say it hurts, and I feel deeply when I see such vulnerable children. Our dear Prophet (pbuh) was also an orphan. There is a well-known hadith where the Prophet Mohammad (SAW) says “I and the person who looks after an orphan and provides for him, will be (together) in paradise like this (putting his index and middle fingers together)” (al-Bukhari). This hadith has been my constant inspiration and has fueled me in times where I feel as though I have not done my part.

Sonya Maharaj
What about life inspires you?
Two things that inspire me about life are having the ability to gain knowledge, and having the ability to help those who are in need. At GiveLight, I am able to continue to learn and share what I learn with others.
Why did you choose to volunteer with GiveLight Foundation?
I started volunteering for GiveLight when I was eleven years old. Helping others and being able to give back to my community is very important to me. Volunteering at GiveLight challenges me to grow and learn as a person, and provides me with the opportunity to help others.
How do you help make a difference by doing what you do here?
As an intern, I am often asked to do many things to support GiveLight. I have the opportunity to help the GiveLight administration team in the office, and I also help raise money for charitable contributions. I am going to start working as a mentor for the new Mentor Me program, and I hope to visit many of the orphanages in the future.

Taqwa Surapati
Currently Taqwa, affectionately called Rani as her nickname, is going through her Clinical Pastoral Education Program at Stanford Hospital and Clinic as a year long Chaplain Resident. Afterwards, she hopes to continue in getting Islamic Chaplaincy Certification furthering her credentials.
What about life inspires you?
Living in the moment with an ever expanding heart inspires me, making the circle of love and care bigger.
Why did you choose to volunteer with GiveLight Foundation?
Dian and I shared country of origin, Indonesia. When the tsunami hit, Dian turned her grief into care and faith in action. I never saw anybody do it as swiftly and beautifully, so I'm proud to be connected to her in service and support of the foundation.
How do you help make a difference by doing what you do here?
We are the parents of the children, if you're an adult, your responsibility extends beyond your own family unit. I'm never going to be a perfect parent for my own kids, but at least I try my hardest, and for the global children who are parentless, I am an adult and a parent who cares about them.

Tooba Ahmed
What about life inspires you?
I am constantly amazed by how diverse the world is and yet how much we all have in common, and I am inspired by human’s abilities to reach new heights and our potential to bring positive change when we collectively work towards a shared goal.
Why did you choose to volunteer with GiveLight Foundation?
When working as a researcher in a child protection agency, I saw first-hand how vulnerable and defenseless children really are, especially those who are left without protection. Without family or support, they become voiceless and often neglected or taken advantage of. As a mother, the thought of my children being left alone in the world terrifies me, but I realize that this is a reality for many children across the world. Givelight not only provides shelter, education and protection to such children, but also empowers them to live a healthy, happy and normal life that is full of potential. This is a great responsibility and I am honored to play my part in enabling a child to fulfill the promise they are destined for.
How do you help make a difference by doing what you do here?
Combining my passion for serving others and my love for books, I have co-led the Books of Light project. As of March 2020, we have successfully designed and assembled children’s libraries for two foster homes in the Bay Area and intend to launch two more by the end of the year. I have also served on the planning committee for the annual Givelight Global Bistro and have worked with vendors and sponsors to host a number of Givelight fundraiser events. I hope to continue working to the best of my ability and contribute to Givelight’s mission of building homes for children without families and providing them with education and protection.

Uroosa Jalal
What about life inspires you?
Connecting with people. I am constantly inspired by my conversations with people. It could be a five minute conversation with the person at a checkout stand, a long conversation with a friend, or during class time at school with my students. Either way, I continuously learn about myself and others and I love sharing what I learn.
Why did you choose to work with GiveLight Foundation?
After being in the corporate world for more than a decade, I began feeling a need to do something more with my life. After having children, this need grew even stronger. I was looking for something I could involve my kids with as well. With GiveLight, I feel like I have finally found that. My dream is to visit a GiveLight home with my children and husband.
How do you help make a difference by doing what you do here?
I am hoping to help build on top of the current website experience to increase awareness and appeal to potential donors.
Current & Past INTERNS





















