Firelight Foundation 2009 Annual Report

2 0 0 9 A N N U A L R E P O R T

* COMMUNITY!BASED ORGANIZATION

1

TABLE O

F CO

NTEN

TS

2009 AT A GLANCE

Letter from the President & the Executive Director. . . . . . 2

Our Mission, Approach & Principles. . . . . . 3

The Need & The Solution. . . . . .4

Our Accomplishments & Impact. . . . . . 5

VOICES OF COMMUNITY LEADERS

Overview. . . . . .6

Thakane Ts’osane: Ts’osane Support Group. . . . . . 7

Esther Mtima: Chilimba Women & Orphans Care Group. . . . . . 8

Ra!ki Callixte: Les Enfants de Dieu. . . . . . 9

Elijah Molahlehi: Motivation Community Development. . . . . . 10

Atuu Waonaje: Centre for Youth Development & Adult Education . . . . . . 11

Louis Mwewa: Lupwa Lwabumi Trust. . . . . . 12

Tsitsi Machisi: Sesithule Vamanani Caring Association. . . . . . 13

REFERENCE

2009 Grants. . . . . . 14–19

Canada. . . . . .14

Kenya. . . . . . 14

Lesotho. . . . . .14

Malawi. . . . . . 14–15

Rwanda. . . . . .15

South Africa. . . . . . 16

Tanzania. . . . . . 16–17

Uganda. . . . . .17

USA. . . . . .17

Zambia. . . . . . 17–18

Zimbabwe. . . . . .19

2009 Financial Report. . . . . . 20

Support Firelight. . . . . . 21

Donors. . . . . . 22–23

Boards & Sta". . . . . . 24

In Bantu languages:

“My well-being is connected

to your well-being.”

blog.firelightfoundation.org

2009 ANNUAL REPORT www.firelightfoundation.org

2

LETTER

Kerry Olson Founder & President

Peter Laugharn Executive Director

FROM THE PRESIDENT & THE EXECUTIVE DIREC TOR

2009: A YEAR OF HOPE & LEADERSHIP

Despite the worsening economic situation of many of the world’s most vulnerable people, 2009 was a year of hope for Firelight and our grantees. As one of our grantee leaders put it, “Our purpose is to restore children’s hope for life.”

Out of a deep sense of social responsibility, community leaders across Sub-Saharan Africa have marshaled resources and established community-based organizations (CBOs) to support vulnerable children and families a"ected by HIV/AIDS and poverty. Best placed to identify those in greatest need, commu-nity members have taken the initiative to create e"ective local solutions to local problems.

This report is dedicated to these individuals and the life- changing work that they do—day in and day out—in very di#cult situations. Firelight’s small but well-targeted grants go such a long way in making a real di"erence in the lives of thousands of children because of the extraordinary e"orts of these leaders, their sta", and volunteers.

Pages 6–13 feature the voices of seven of these ‘everyday heroes’—one from each of the seven countries in which Firelight is active—who foster community leadership and engagement with skill, energy, and humility.

These local heroes have a real heart for children, an empathy that allows them to walk in others’ shoes and understand others’ needs, and an integrity that permeates their work and keeps them focused on improving the lives of children and families.

Their ability and drive to translate their child-focused mission into e"ective action is what sets them apart and makes them powerful change agents in their communities.

Yet they would be the !rst to tell you “it’s never just one person” and is all about mobilizing local resources and volunteers, and

educating and engaging the community to change the world around them—one child and family at a time.

This past year alone, Firelight made more than 180 grants to CBOs serving tens of thousands of children and caregivers in nine African countries. But the fact remains that too few resources reach community groups across Sub-Saharan Africa that are responding to the increasing numbers of children and families in need.

In a global community like ours, geographically distant realities are brought to our virtual doorsteps, and everyone has an important role to play in making a di"erence. Everyone doing what they do best—local groups responding to local needs and Firelight and its donors supporting those e"orts—is a powerful formula for building a brighter future for orphans and vulnerable children.

We celebrate the heroes highlighted in this annual report because they exemplify how much even just one person can do. As we all look to a brighter tomorrow, we want to leave you with the important message that you too—even as one individual—can help change children’s lives.

With every investment that you make in communities, you’re helping to build locally sustainable solutions that meet the most urgent needs of children while laying the foundation for positive long-term change.

One of our grantee leaders recently told us: “We want Firelight’s supporters to know how huge an impact their help has had on our communities and how many lives it has changed.”

We are deeply grateful to you, our community of supporters, for standing by our side even in tough times. Together, we can make our vision a reality.

3

MISSIO

N, A

PPROA

CH

& PRINC

IPLES

We believe that CHILDREN HOLD THE KEY to a brighter future for Africa.

We believe that real and lasting change begins at the GRASSROOTS.

We believe and invest in LOCALLY GROWN AND OWNED sustainable solutions.

We know that SMALL, WELL!TARGETED INVESTMENTS can make a big di"erence in children’s lives.

Our grantees understand the needs of vulnerable children and families, and MOBILIZE COMMUNITIES to support them.

We inform, advocate, and WORK TO INFLUENCE FUNDING FLOWS to reach the grassroots.

We understand the challenges that community-based organizations face and partner with them to STRENGTHEN THEIR PROGRAMS and provide better support to communities.

We have seen the SUCCESS AND IMPACT of our approach on children, families, communities, and other funders over 10 years of operation.

OU

R PRINC

IPLESOUR MISSION

THE MISSION OF THE FIRELIGHT FOUNDATION

IS TO IMPROVE THE WELL!BEING OF CHILDREN

MADE VULNERABLE BY HIV/AIDS AND POVERT Y

IN SUB!SAHARAN AFRICA. FIRELIGHT SUPPORTS

GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS THAT HELP

FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES MEET THE NEEDS

OF THEIR CHILDREN.

OUR APPROACH CHILD!CENTERED

FAMILY!FOCUSED

COMMUNIT Y!BASED

CHILD

FAMILY

COMMUNITY


4

NEED

& SOLU

TION

THE NEED

HIV/AIDS threaten the safety and survival of millions of children across Sub-Saharan Africa.

68% of the world’s HIV-positive adults and 90% of the world’s HIV-positive children live

south of the Sahara Desert in Africa.

More than 48 million children have been orphaned. Of those, 12 million have lost at least one of

their parents to HIV/AIDS, and millions more have been made vulnerable by poverty

and the burden of caring for ill parents.

56% of people live on less than $1 a day. More than 60% of children live in poverty. Only 30% are enrolled in secondary school.

Adolescent girls are 2 times to 4.5 times more likely to be infected with HIV/AIDS than adolescent boys.

Children are signi#cantly less likely to receive life-saving antiretroviral treatment than adults.

Families and communities bear approximately 90% of the costs and burden of caring for infected and a"ected children in the areas hardest hit by AIDS.

About 90% of all children a"ected by HIV/AIDS and poverty are supported by extended families and small community-based organizations (CBOs) that work on a shoestring budget to help children stay in school and ensure that they have food, clothing, shelter, psychosocial support, and protection from abuse.

Communities also mobilize local resources to help vulnerable children and families. They give their love and volunteer their time

to provide care, grow food, and give clothes to children. This strong community solidarity builds children’s resilience.

But the resources of these grassroots groups are being stretched to the limit as the death toll rises and the global economy worsens, increasing the vulnerability of a"ected children and families.

Firelight seeks to overcome the greatest obstacles faced by community groups: the lack of recognition and

insu$cient funding of their work. We are one of a very few foundations that partners with small CBOs supporting vulner-able children and families in the hardest hit areas of Africa.

Over 10 years of operation, we have seen that our approach works. Building on the rich resources of African communities and strength-ening local organizations leaves them better able to respond to the strains of HIV/AIDS and poverty.

THE SOLUTION: COMMUNIT Y AC TION

COMMUNITIES CHANGING CHILDREN’S LIVES

5

AC

CO

MPLISH

MEN

TS & IMPA

CT

OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS & IMPAC T

SINCE 2000:

More than 1,000 GRANTS totaling

approx. $12 MILLION reaching nearly

330 COMMUNITY!BASED ORGANIZATIONS

serving children and families in

10 Sub-Saharan African countries.

IN 2009 ALONE:

More than 180 GRANTS totaling

nearly $2 MILLION reaching more than 150 COMMUNITY!BASED ORGANIZATIONS

serving children and families in

9 Sub-Saharan African countries.

Firelight’s grant “loss” rate is approximately 1%, meaning that we were able to verify that 99% of our grants were used for the purposes for

which they were intended.

Firelight grants are the !rst external funding for more than 30% of our grantees.

Firelight renews more than 80% of our grantees after careful assessment of their proposals. A majority of grantees go on to receive funds from other donors.


6

VOIC

ES FROM

SUB$SA

HA

RAN

AFRIC

A

VOICES FROM SUB!SAHARAN AFRICA:

7 COMMUNIT Y LEADERS, 7 GRASSROOT S GROUPS IN 7 COUNTRIES

“These local heroes have a real heart for children, an empathy that allows

them to walk in others’ shoes and understand others’ needs, and an

integrity that…keeps them focused on improving the lives of children.” –Kerry Olson, Firelight Founder & President, and Peter Laugharn, Firelight Executive Director

Firelight’s grassroots grantees know that improving the well-being of children requires holistic and sustainable approaches tailored to local environments, and use Firelight funding to implement a diverse range of activities across these seven program areas.

All too often, Africa is seen for its struggles to the exclusion of its strengths. Our hope to make a di"erence for children in need thousands of miles away is supported each and every day through the extended families, the community organizations, and the local leaders who act with courage, compassion, and skill to give children a brighter future. There are so many e"ective, yet unrecognized and underfunded African community organizations that know how to do a lot with a little.

In this report, we feature the leaders of these community organizations—one from each of the seven countries in which Firelight is active (see pages 14–19 for our 2009 grants). On the next few pages, you can read the stories of these ‘everyday heroes’, in their own words.

Understanding their perspectives and how they approach their work is

indispensable to appreciating how cash-strapped communities facing such serious challenges can be so e"ective in changing the lives of some of the most vulnerable children.

All of the community leaders featured on the following pages have powerfully e"ective leadership styles. Yet each of them employs a distinctive approach: harmonious, progressive, youth-empowering, inspirational, courageous, visionary, and change-oriented.

At the same time that they’re working hard to improve the well-being of thousands of children, these community leaders are also ensuring that their groups are sustainable and working to overcome more systemic problems to create long-term change—a powerful formula for building a brighter future for vulnerable children.


7

HA

RMO

NIO

US LEA

DERSH

IP

How does your group support vulnerable children and families?

After we care for the parents, we establish a bond with the children. Children would tell us: “Today, we are sad. Today we have not been able to eat. Today we have not gone to school.” They would tell us all of their miseries.

We were not aware that we were providing counseling, but that was what we were doing. We would sit down with them and try to solve whatever problems they had. We were very close to them—closer even than some of their relatives.

It’s all about the children, really. When orphans and vulnerable children go to school, I thank God. When they get some food to eat, I thank the Lord. When children become class monitors in school and start on the path to leadership in

their communities, I am grateful. Most rewarding for me is seeing these children go from misery to a more hopeful life.

A big problem we see is that teenagers drop out of school frequently. Every child needs a mother !gure, food in the morning, and parents to rouse and prepare them for school. These teenagers are usually the heads of their households and don’t have the care and support of families or even basic necessities like food.

I am able to push through the di#cult times with the help of the Almighty. But I am also grateful for the sta" members I have. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be here.

In 2003, because their community-based principles are the same as ours, Firelight took a risk on us and brought us on as one of their !rst grantees. Since then,

Firelight has been a pillar of strength for us and for vulnerable children, providing caregiver stipends and allowances and training to help us monitor and evaluate our work.

Tell us about yourself as a leader.

I am a very compassionate person. I wish I could change the mindset of those who are in power. Life is not fair to some people, especially vulnerable children. I wish I could change the whole world around them.

I enjoy working with people. I like orga-nizing people and working with them harmoniously. I want others to spread their wings and always try to bring other community members along on our mission to care for and support vulner-able children and families.

“When my husband died, my parents supported me and my children, and were very, very good to us. That’s why I’m sorry when a child loses his or her par-ents—because I know the great love that I got from my own parents.”

LESOTHO: a tiny mountain kingdom of almost 1.8 million, completely surrounded by South Africa.

“Basotho are peace loving. A sense of working together is in our blood. We are explorers, not afraid of exploring new avenues!”

LESOTH

OTHAKANE TS’OSANE

T S’OSANE SUPPORT GROUP

“In Lesotho, we have orphanages. But we choose

not to take our orphans and vulnerable children out

of their communities so that they don’t lose

their identities.”

Education Psychosocial Support Food/Agriculture Healthcare/HIV Children’s Rights Firelight funded since 2003


8

PROG

RESSIVE LEAD

ERSHIP

Founded in 1999 by four women, Chilimba supports orphans and HIV/AIDS-a!ected families by providing food, school fees, home-based care, and counseling, and funds many of their activities through a dairy income-generating project.

I started Chilimba with several other women because I wanted to help women and children. To me, being a woman and caregiver always surrounded by vulnerable children with great needs yet having nothing to address them, was heartbreaking.

Initially, we wanted to address family planning issues in our communities. Then, because of a large increase in the number of orphans, we refocused our program on improving the social welfare of orphans and vulnerable children.

I am the wife of a Village Headman, and because my husband leads the community, I was chosen to lead Chilimba. But there are also other women leaders in the group.

Together, we work to ease the psycho-social problems of vulnerable children through entertainment, sports, and counseling. We try to ensure that they go to school, providing them with uniforms, soap, and school materials, and also give them income-generating skills like tailoring and farming to help them lead independent lives.

One time a child named Annie came to Chilimba. Annie’s four brothers and sisters had passed away by the time she was only four years old. She was not fond of school and when she was seven, she began looking for menial, unsafe work. Then we started to train her in tailoring

and she began to appreciate the impor-tance of school, so we enrolled her in primary school. She is now 14 years old and doing very well, not only in tailoring but also in computer skills—a remarkable transformation for an orphan whose early years were marked by sadness and deprivation.

One of our biggest challenges is a lack of resources and sta", as we only have volunteers. Supporting orphans and vulnerable children is a full-time job requiring full-time attention. Our volunteers are very skilled, energetic, and passionate, but there are only so many of them, and they have their own families and lives. We want donors to know that supporting organizations like Chilimba Women means that their funds are going to directly bene!t the most needy children in our communities.

MA

LAWI

“As a woman, from a rural community, it has been very di!cult to "nd donors for Chilimba, yet we really need resources such as transpor-tation to be able to reach vulnerable children in other communities. But I believe that reward requires patience, so we must work through our challenges.”

MALAWI: a land-locked country in southeast Africa, with a population of nearly 14 million people.

“People, especially young ones, are run-ning away to other countries to look for better work because none is being created within communities here and the country at large.”

ESTHER MTIMA

CHILIMBA WOMEN & ORPHANS CARE GROUP

“Children need better education and resources

to become good leaders and help to develop

their communities that have been weakened by

HIV/AIDS and poverty.”

Education Psychosocial Support Economic Strengthening Children’s Rights Firelight funded since 2007


9

EMPO

WERIN

G YO

UTH

LEAD

ERSHIP

RAFIKI CALLIXTE

LES ENFANT S DE DIEURW

AN

DA

The boys we work with are all street children who have lived very hard lives. We focus on their socio-economic reintegra-tion—more di#cult and long-term than reuni!cation. First we recruit children from the street; rehabilitate and then reinte-grate them back into the community. Reintegration is the most expensive phase because we have to prepare the family, the community, and local authorities to be ready to accept the child back.

Both socially and economically, the child has to feel at home, like he really belongs, and can be provided for by the family and the community. It takes about US$350 for one child to be reintegrated—for little more than US$1,000, you can change the course of three lives.

First, it’s about hope. After the genocide, so many children in Rwanda were left as orphans—abused; sleeping under bridges; no one taking care of them; no

food; no clothes. When they come to our center, we give them love and show them that they’re human beings who must be respected and loved like everyone else. Their hope returns when they realize that they are not useless and should think about their future. We help restore children’s hope for life.

Second, it’s about self-esteem. When you don’t have self-esteem, you’re not motivated to work toward your future or self-development. You’re paralyzed. After coming into the center, children start to understand “I can!” They know it’s possible.They know they’re intelligent and capable of doing things, and can go on to school and work.

Finally, it’s about decision-making and responsibility. We train youth to make good decisions and become responsible. We want to change the world and make it a fairer place, understanding that we

all must work through our di"erences to achieve positive change. We help youth make decisions; understand their impact; and accept responsibility for them.

As part of this process, we helped children create seven ‘ministries’: sports & culture, health, education, administration, social a"airs, home a"airs, and agriculture. Ministry leaders are between 15 and 18 years old; are elected by other children; and manage the projects themselves. With a mandate of 12 months, they can make any decision, but at the end, must evaluate their progress.

These ministries are critical for children becoming involved, informed, and empowered. We want these children to become ‘peacebuilders’ and ‘change-makers’ active in !nding solutions to problems; in preparing their futures; and in rebuilding their country.

“The love I have for children comes from the love I got from my parents. My motivation to work with children and youth is to change the world. I know it’s very hard and a big goal. I know I will never hit a star with my stone. But my stone will go far by aiming at a star.”

RWANDA: known as the ‘Land of a Thou-sand Hills’, Rwanda is a landlocked country of nearly 11 million people in the Great Lakes region of eastern-central Africa.

“We’ve been living in a country that is recovering from a genocide, where people said ‘I don’t know what happened to me!’ We train youth to make good decisions and accept responsibility for those decisions.”

“If people themselves don’t change, we will never

solve the problem. That’s why I work with youth:

When you want to give shape to the tree, you must

begin very early.”

Education Psychosocial Support Healthcare/HIV Firelight funded since 2004


10

INSPIRATIO

NA

L LEAD

ERSHIP

SOU

TH A

FRICA

ELIJAH MOLAHLEHI

MOTIVATION COMMUNIT Y DE VELOPMENT

“By the time I was nine years old, I was all alone. Community members helped me and gave me food and clothes. This is how I came to have a heart to see what other children needed and were going through.”

“The love and the heart of the children—that

is the main thing that inspires my work…and

enables me to inspire others.”

In response to high rates of drug use, crime, HIV infection, and unemployment, youth in the primarily Khoi-San township of Roodepan founded Motivation Community Development (MCD). MCD members organized to moti-vate children and youth to reclaim their identity, become educated, socially skilled, mature, productive, and responsible.

Throughout their work, MCD incorporates and promotes Khoi-San culture and oper-ates a daycare center, community garden, soup kitchen, HIV-counseling center, and community talk show.

In 2002, I started youth and children’s programs because I was aware that there were a lot of children going through what I had been through—even worse. I was moved by the way Khoi-San children and youth were isolated and depressed. It reminded me of my own past.

I know how it feels and I used to break down a lot and have no one to run to, but things changed when I met the mentors who coached me from ages 15 to 22.

I decided to be positive rather than nega-tive. I decided to smile, even though it was very painful sometimes. I chose love, not hatred or grief.

This changed my life and is why I have devoted myself to helping children who are growing up as orphans. Because a nation without children is a doomed nation. The biggest challenge I think about is: “In all the trouble, all the pain, poverty, hunger, crime, and sel!shness, WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN?”

This is why I started Motivation Commu-nity Development. At MCD, we try to make sure that children and youth are happy about who they are and how they

feel about themselves, their culture, and their ethnicity. Part of our distinctive way of working is to a#rm the Khoi-San culture because Khoi-San children are disproportionately vulnerable, stigma-tized, and disconnected from larger society—especially girls.

After 10 years of this work, we have seen a very positive impact: the levels of stigma and marginalization in our communities have decreased.

We are working hard and seeing a lot of progress in building communi-ties in which youth are changing lives, becoming role models, and teaching younger children.

The change I see in our communities and in our youth is what motivates and inspires me every day.

SOUTH AFRICA: a large country of nearly 50 million people located at the southern tip of Africa with coastlines on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

“In our communi-ties, we have a huge unemployment problem, which creates poverty and worsens the e#ect of HIV/AIDS. Crime is very high. If we could take children o# the streets, train, and educate them; that would be a big achievement.”

Education Food/Nutrition/Agriculture Healthcare/HIV Firelight funded since 2004


11

CO

URA

GEO

US LEA

DERSH

IP

TAN

ZAN

IA

Education Food/Agriculture Healthcare/HIV Economic Strengthening Children’s Rights Firelight funded since 2007

ATUU WAONAJE

CENTRE FOR YOUTH DE VELOPMENT & ADULT EDUCATION $CEL A%

“I want to live in a society free from social strife, connected to the world, where people are literate and free from poverty. I love working with children because they are the adults of tomorrow.”

“When I !rst started, some people discouraged me

because they thought that as refugees we couldn’t

achieve anything. I told them ‘Yes we can!

We can change the lives of children.’ ”

When I was 15 years old, my younger brother and I escaped from the war in Congo to western Tanzania. I lived in a camp almost 12 years, eventually putting myself through night school and going on to earn a degree. My !rst priority then was my education, but it was very di#cult—no one helped me, except the courage I gave myself.

I started working with children because the numbers of orphans and children made vulnerable by the war and leading extremely di#cult lives in the camps were increasing by the day.

In a refugee camp, children are the most negatively a"ected. As someone who knows what it’s like to live in a camp and experience hardship, I wanted to ensure that these children had the hope and prospect of a better life.

Many of these children—ranging in age from 7 to 18 years—live with caregivers. We don’t take them away from their caregivers. Instead, we support their caregivers to make sure that the material, educational, social, and emotional needs of the orphans and vulnerable children living with them are met.

We try to tell the orphans that the problem is not that their mothers or fathers have died, but that they must focus on their future and the opportunity to have a better life. We are always trying to encourage the children and counsel them to become responsible adults.

The transformations we’ve seen in chil-dren we’ve worked with in the camps are remarkable.

Some children could not even speak, they were so shy and quiet, but we tried to build their con!dence over time, and as a result, many of them are now con!dent, communicative, and open. There were some who couldn’t attend school and now, can read and write, and live very good lives.

We have seen again and again that if we give orphans and vulnerable children opportunities, they can do so many things.

People think that refugees are second-class citizens; that they can’t do anything useful or good, but we show them that refugees can accomplish a lot.

In May 2007, Atuu Waonaje received the ‘Voices of Courage’ Award from the Women’s Refugee Commission in New York City.

TANZANIA: located in central East Africa, bordered by eight countries with a population of nearly 44 million.

“For the large Congolese refugee community here, life is very tough. People have lost all of their belongings, their relatives and friends; have undergone a lot of trauma; and have no right to movement or work outside of their camps. Maybe worst of all, they are seen as valueless and voiceless people.”


12

VISION

ARY LEA

DERSH

IP

LOUIS MWEWA

LUPWA LWABUMI TRUST

ZAM

BIA

“The kids I’ve worked with over the years still call me ‘coach’ because I’ve taught them many di#erent things, but have also shown them love.“

“It’s time to restore, protect, and get the family

together. Until we do that, there’s no hope for the

child. You can provide education and healthcare, but

without the family, the child has nowhere to go.”

Lupwa Lwabumi Trust (LLT) focuses on maintaining and restoring families, empow-ering communities, and preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS.

LLT uses a “Family Circles” approach in which groups of families develop local solu-tions to local problems. The families provide counseling to other vulnerable families and communities; operate a village savings and loan program; and o!er general support to one another. Children receive care and assis-tance from the circles as families become intimately bonded.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, I started working directly with children in Lusaka, developing sustainable programs to reintegrate them through the !rst-ever street children project. We concentrated on getting the children back to school and back to the centers. But that wasn’t enough—we were missing a major player: the family.

We found that street children were actu-ally from normal homes but because of extreme poverty, ended up on the streets. At that time, Zambia had sold its mines and many lost their jobs. Children left home to try to make money for their fami-lies, but then became cut o" from their families and communities.

We believe in community life, in family. Getting back to our values as Africans is key. We work with institutions, but at the end of the day, the child has to go home—to the family and the commu-nity, where both are ready to support and celebrate the life of the child. Each child belongs to a community and each community needs to care for this child. This is what we call ‘ubuntu’.

The most rewarding part of this work for me is that it has helped me to be complete. I can see so many kids who wouldn’t be where they are today without

this support and these opportunities. If you can help a child have a better life today, you will have a really good adult tomorrow. It is so important for them to know that there are people out there who care for them, and that they have their own rights and their own voices.

My deep commitment to children comes from my heart. This is what I have to do for my country, for our children. But you also need strong skills and professionalism to make a real di"erence in children’s lives.

This is why we share what we have learned over the years with others to try to build a uni!ed and coordinated national vision for children and a system for taking this vision forward. Getting di"erent NGOs to work together—for example, through the Children in Need Network (CHIN)—provides us with a lot of critical data and a deep understanding of how to best serve vulnerable children.

ZAMBIA: a land-locked country in southern Africa with a population of nearly 13 million.

“Toward the late 1990s, because of bad gov-ernment policies and increasing unemploy-ment, poverty, and HIV/AIDS infection rates, the number of children living on the street swelled. Zambia used to be relatively well-o# because of the copper mines, and even used to o#er free educa-tion, but as a country, we were not ready for this deteriorating situation.”

Education Psychosocial Support Economic Strengthening Children’s Rights Firelight funded since 2005


13

LEAD

ERSHIP FO

R CH

AN

GE

TSITSI MACHISI

SESITHULE VAMANANI CARING ASSOCIATION $SE VACA%ZIM

BABW

E

Education Psychosocial Support Healthcare/HIV Firelight funded since 2006

“My work has changed my life completely. I have ful"lled my vision and am doing what I have always wanted to do: support and care for children.”

“Working with children is a great reward and blessing.

When I look at the children we have raised, I’m proud

to see them progressing on their own, changing

their own lives, and defending their own rights.”

A big obstacle for us is that in the Shan-gaan culture, women are not allowed to make decisions, speak, or do anything at home without permission.

One day I said: “Enough is enough! Let us stand up. Let me talk to other women to try to motivate and sensitize the commu-nity, and do something for our culture, for our children.” If women are negatively a"ected, then our children will be. We must be outspoken and empower our children to speak out for themselves and defend their own rights.

So I began to speak with our traditional leaders to raise community awareness. It took me two years to get them to under-stand and to get involved. I kept going to the chief and working with him. The chief told the parents that they must send all of their children to school. People listened to the chief more than to anyone else.

Volunteers were selected to keep watchful eyes, looking out for children not going to school, not eating, or not being cared for. Women now stand up and speak in community meetings in front of men. They have fought for and succeeded in getting girls to be sent to school. This was a huge success for us and for our community.

Ours is a whole community network—this is why we can make change from within.

I started SEVACA in 2000 to mobilize our community to change the lives of young children. We saw so many homes without parents and knew we had to do something.

We wanted to educate children about HIV/AIDS and organize clubs to help them interact with other children, build their self-esteem, and make them better leaders tomorrow living better lives today.

We support more than 3,000 vulnerable children whose parents are ill or dead, and that number is growing.

There are many more girls because most of the boys moved to South Africa to work on the farms. Thanks to Firelight’s support, many girls have gone back to school and started income-generating projects like animal farming and gardening. We also train caregivers and community leaders to assess children’s needs and provide them the care and support that they need.

Our greatest challenge is not reaching children in time. When that happens, we feel helpless, terrible—like we have failed them.

That is why I want people to know how important their support is to our communi-ties. Added to the e"orts of our community members, that support has created powerful change in the lives of vulnerable children.

ZIMBABWE: a land-locked country in the southeastern part of Africa, with 12.5 million people.

“Children started to move to South Africa to get jobs. We wanted to stop that and keep them in Zimbabwe, in their communities, in their homes, in their culture, and in their tradition.”


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CANADA The Teresa Group, TORONTO $25,000

The Teresa Group, TORONTO $15,000 TOTAL !2" $40,000

KENYAEducation, Self-Sustainability, and Improvement of Economy Development Group, NAIROB

$9,000

Education, Self-Sustainability, and Improvement of Economy Development Group, NAIROB

$3,000

WEM Integrated Health Services, THIKA $9,000

WEM Integrated Health Services, THIKA $5,000 TOTAL !4" $26,000

LESOTHOHa Mantilatilane Child Rescue Centre, MASERU $9,000

Khutsong Sekamaneng Women in Action Against Poverty, MASERU WEST $9,000

Lesotho Durham Link, MASERU $7,000

Lesotho Durham Link Coalition, MASERU $9,000

Lesotho Girl Guides Association, MASERU $9,000

Lesotho Society of Mentally Handicapped Persons, MASERU $9,000

Manyeloi a Manyane Day-Care Center, MASERU $6,000

Monna Ka Khomo, MASERU $9,000

Phopholetsa HIV/AIDS Support Group, M, MASERU $9,000

** Touch Roots Africa (Metsong Africa), MASERU $107,000

Ts’osane Support Group, SEBABOLENG $9,000 TOTAL !11" $192,000

MALAWI Action Hope Support Organization, NAMADZI $13,000 *AIDS Care Counselling Campaign Project, NSANJE $9,000

Chikwawa Diocese Health Commission, CHIKWAWA $9,000

Chilimba Women and Orphans Care Group, ZOMBA $9,000

Chilimba Women and Orphans Care Group, ZOMBA $2,600

Community Health Environmental Care Trust, LILONGWE $5,300

Community Health Environmental Care Trust, LILONGWE $13,500

Community Youth in Development Activities, MZIMBA $9,000 *Eye of the Child, BLANTYRE $13,000

Foundation for Community Support Services, KARONGA $9,000

Imvani Women’s Support Group, MCHINJI $13,000 *Matindi Youth Organisation, BLANTYRE $9,000

GRANTS AWARDED IN 2009

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Education: Holistic support helping children enroll, stay, and succeed in school.

Psychosocial Support: Enhancing the caring relationships that meet the emotional, social, and recreational needs of children and help build life skills.

Food/Nutrition/Agriculture: Supporting food production, feeding programs, and household food assistance for children and families.

Healthcare/HIV: Extending primary health care, preventive care, and HIV/AIDS-related preventive and palliative care.

Economic Strengthening: Providing materials, skills, and knowledge to caregivers to help them generate income and strengthen household resiliency.

Children’s Rights: Building a protective environ-ment that prevents and responds to violence, abuse, and the exploitation of children, and upholds their rights.

Material Assistance: Providing basic necessities (clothing, bedding, personal hygiene, and shelter).

Operational Support: Supports organizational operational expenses (salaries, rent, phone, internet access, and transportation costs).

Capacity Building: Supports the organizational development of community-based organiza-tions to help them work more e"ectively.

GRANTEE PROGRAM AREASFirelight’s approach is to support programs and activities that respond to the needs of children, families, and communities in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Firelight grantees know that improving the well-being of children requires holistic and sustainable approaches tailored to local environments, and use Firelight funding to implement a diverse range of activities across several program areas:

MALAWI CONTINUEDMatindi Youth Organisation, BLANTYRE $5,000

Mchezi Community Based Organization, LILONGWE $3,700

Mwanje Orphan Care and Home Based Care, CHIRADZULU $5,600 *Namwera AIDS Coordinating Committee, NAMWERA $2,500

Namwera AIDS Coordinating Committee, NAMWERA $9,000

Nkhotakota AIDS Support Organization, NKHOTAKOTA $13,000 *Peace in God Organisation, BLANTYRE $13,000 *Rumphi HIV/AIDS Education Awareness Program, RUMPHI $500

Rumphi HIV/AIDS Education Awareness Program, RUMPHI $14,000 *Salima HIV/AIDS Support Organization, SALIMA $9,000

The Federation of Disability Organizations in Malawi, BLANTYRE $13,000 TOTAL !23" $202,700

RWANDAAction pour le Développement du Peuple, KIGALI $15,000

Association Bamporeze, KIGALI $5,000

Association Benimpuhwe, Centre Familial Mu Rugo, KIGALI $9,000

Association des Jeunes Orphelins Rwandais, KIGALI $9,000

Association des Orphelins Chefs de Ménages, KIGALI $15,000

Association Ihorere Munyarwanda, KIGALI $14,000

Association Inkoramutima, JANJA $9,000

Association Tuvuge Twiyubaka, NYAMAGABE $10,000

Association Ubumwe Saint Kisito, RUHENGERI $9,000

Association Urukundo Rw’Imana, KIGALI $9,000

Centre Presbyterien d’Amour des Jeunes, KICUKIRO $9,000

Commission Chrétienne de Lutte Contre le SIDA, GISENYI $12,000

Communauté des Potiers du Rwanda, KIGALI $15,000

Communauté des Potiers du Rwanda, KIGALI $3,000

FACE AIDS, KIREHE $10,000

Hope After Rape, KICUKIRO $9,000

Les Enfants de Dieu, KIGALI $9,000

Let the Little Children Come to Me, HUYE $9,000 *Oeuvre Humanitaire pour la Protection et le Développement de l’Enfant en Di#culté, BUTARE

$9,000

Partners in Health/ Inshuti Mu Buzima, KIREHE $9,000

** Rwanda Women Community Development Network, KIGALI $80,000

Special Education Center of Janja, RUHENGERI $9,000 *Trust and Care, BUGESERA $9,000

TOTAL !23" $296,000

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SOUTH AFRICABatho Ba Lerato, BLOEMFONTEIN $9,000

Bethlehem Basic Training Project, BETHLEHEM $9,000

Children’s Rights Centre, DURBAN $10,000

** Diketso Eseng Dipuo Community Development Trust, BLOEMFONTEIN $80,000

Dlalanathi, PIETERMARITZBURG $9,000

Ekupholeni Mental Health Centre, JOHANNESBURG $15,000

Empilweni, KHAYELITSHA $9,000

Family Literacy Project, HILLCREST $9,000

Greater Nelspruit Rape Intervention Programme, NELSPRUIT, MPUMALANGA $9,000 *Motivation Community Development, WELKOM $9,000

Ramotshinyadi HIV/AIDS Youth Guide, RAMOTSHINYADI $9,000

Rural Women’s Movement, HILTON $9,000

Thabiso, WARRENTON $9,000

Tholulwazi Uzivikele, KWANGWANASE $9,000

Tlamelang-Sediba Home Care Centre, MAFIKENG $9,000TOTAL !15" $213,000

TANZANIAAIDS Outreach Programme - Nyakato, MWANZA $15,000

AIDS Outreach Programme - Nyakato, MWANZA $2,500

Baraka Good Hope Orphan’s Development, MWANZA $9,000 *Baraka Good Hope Orphan’s Development, MWANZA $3,000

Centre for Youth Development and Adult Education, UVINZA $13,000

Christian Youth Network, TABORA $9,000

Christian Youth Network, TABORA $2,900

Church of God, Arusha Branch, ARUSHA $9,000

Church of God, Arusha Branch, ARUSHA $2,500

Community Development and Humanitarian Association, MWANZA $9,000

Diocese of Southern Highlands, MBEYA $9,000

Kwa Wazee - The Granny Project, MULEBA $9,000

Lake Nyanza Environmental and Sanitation Organization, MWANZA $2,000

Lake Nyanza Environmental and Sanitation Organization, MWANZA $25,000

Makete Support for People with HIV/AIDS, MAKETE $9,000 *Mara Widows Development Group, MUSOMA $15,000

Mara Widows Development Group, MUSOMA $2,500

Masasi Peoples Umbrella Organization, MASASI$MTWARA $14,000 *Matumaini Mapya, BUKOBA $9,000

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TANZANIA CONTINUEDPemba Children’s Club, PEMBA $10,000

Pemba Children’s Club, PEMBA $3,000

Teens Against AIDS, DAR ES SALAAM $15,000

The Mango Tree Orphan Support Trust, MBEYA $25,000

The Pemba Island Relief Organisation, CHAKE $13,000

Tujikomboe Group, MOROGORO $9,000

Tumaini Women, MWANZA $10,000

Tumaini Women Development Group, NYAKATO $15,000

Tumaini Women Development Group, NYAKATO $2,500

Women Emancipation and Development Agency, NYAKATO $14,000TOTAL !29" $285,900

UGANDA Centre for Environment Technology and Rural Development, KASESE $9,000

Centre for Environment Technology and Rural Development, KASESE $5,000

Friends of Christ Revival Ministries, BUSIA $9,000

Kyetume Community Based Health Care Programme, MUKONO $9,000

St. Francis Health Care Services, JINJA $9,000TOTAL !5" $41,000

USA Council on Foundations, ARLINGTON $5,000

Grantmakers Without Borders, BOSTON $8,000TOTAL !2" $13,000

ZAMBIABwafwano Community Home Based Care Organisation, LUSAKA $25,000

Chikanta Community Schools Development Project, CHOMA $9,000

Child Care & Adoption Society, Chilenje Transient Home, LUSAKA $9,000

Children in Distress, Kalomo Central FHT, KALOMO $9,000

Chintelelwe Health Education and Livelihood Programme, NDOLA $9,000

Community for Human Development, LUSAKA $25,000

Community Youth Mobilisation, KABWE $9,000

Families for Children Project, NDOLA $9,000

Families for Children Project, NDOLA $5,000

Fountain of Hope, LUSAKA $9,000 *Fountain of Hope, LUSAKA $5,000

Initiative for Sustainable Rural Livelihood, LUSAKA $9,000

Kabwata Widows and Orphans Community Society, NDOLA $9,000

Food/Nutrition

Household food assistance, feeding programs, and food preparation training to ensure regular meals and improve the nutritional value of children’s and families’ diets. Association Benimpuwe Centre Familial Mu Rugo (Rwanda) trains mothers on infant feeding, creating balanced meals, and using nutrient-preserving food preparation methods. Family Literacy Project (South Africa) provides grocery store vouchers to community volunteers to improve their food security.

Agriculture*

Training in sustainable agricultural methods and provid-ing inputs such as seeds and irrigation equipment to households or communities. Trust and Care (Rwanda) operates a ‘demo’ organic farm and trains family care-givers in sustainable agricultural methods. Kytetume Community Based Healthcare Programme (Uganda) supports a rotational dairy farming program, providing more than 500 families with milk cows that generate food for children and income for families.

Material Assistance

Providing basic necessities for children and families, including clothing, bedding, personal hygiene, and shelter. Malole Home Based Care (Zambia) provides clothes, shoes, soap, and sanitary supplies to the most vulnerable children in rural Kasama. Community Health Environmental Care Trust (Malawi) distributes second-hand clothes to extremely poor children in their communities.

Living Environments*

Improving family household and transitional institution-al dwellings; providing care for children in foster families or institutional care; and reintegrating children into family-based care. SEVACA (Zimbabwe) builds homes for child-headed households. Les Enfants de Dieu (Rwanda) provides temporary institutional care for children living on the street and a comprehensive support program to reintegrate youth.

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ZAMBIA CONTINUEDKara Counselling & Training Trust, LUSAKA $9,000

Livingstone Anglican Children’s Project, LIVINGSTONE $9,000

Lupwa Lwabumi Trust, LUSAKA $9,000

Malole Home Based Care Group, Malole, KASAMA $9,000



Monze Mission Hospital/Buntolo Drop-In Centre, MAZABUKA $15,000 *Mphatso Development Foundation, NYIMBA $9,000

Mulumbo Early Childhood Care and Development Foundation, LUSAKA $25,000

Munzuma Community School, CHOMA $9,000

Pazesa Horticultural Community, CHIPATA $9,000 *People’s AIDS Response through Vital Education and Networking Foundation, MANSA

$9,000

People’s AIDS Response through Vital Education and Networking Foundation, MANSA

$5,000

Power of Love Foundation, LUSAKA $9,000

Ray of Hope for Orphans, LIVINGSTONE $9,000

Ray of Hope for Orphans, LIVINGSTONE $5,000

Reformed Open Community Schools - Lundazi, LUSAKA $9,000

Rural Child, KITWE $9,000

Senanga Orphan Day Centre, SENANGA $15,000

Senanga Orphan Day Centre, SENANGA $5,000

Silelo Community School HIV/AIDS Support Group, LIVINGSTONE $9,000

The Law and Development Association, LIVINGSTONE $9,000

The Media Network on Child Rights and Development, LUSAKA $9,000

Titukuke Rural Community Development Association, PETAUKE $9,000

Tusa Munyandi Association, LIVINGSTONE $9,000

Welfare Concern International, LIVINGSTONE $9,000

Young Women’s Christian Association - Western Region, Zambia, MONGUN $9,000

Youth for Change, LUSAKA $9,000

Youth for Change, LUSAKA $5,000TOTAL !42" $400,100

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181 TOTAL NUMBER OF GRANTS IN 2009 $1,932,400 TOTAL AMOUNT OF GRANTS IN 2009

ZIMBABWEBasilwizi Trust, BULAWAYO $9,000

Chiedza Community Based Orphan Welfare Organisation, MUTARE $12,000

Chiedza Youth Clubs Organisation, HARARE $5,200

Child Protection Society, HARARE $3,000

Dananai Centre, MURAMBINDA $9,000

Esandleni Sothando, PLUMTREE $13,000 *Esandleni Sothando, PLUMTREE $3,000

Family-in-Need Trust, MUTARE $9,000

Gwai Grandmothers’ Group, MBERENGWA $9,000

HelpAge Zimbabwe, Southern Region, BULAWAYO $9,000

Ingalo Zomusa Orphan Care, GWANDA $13,000

Ingalo Zomusa Orphan Care, GWANDA $3,000

Loving Hand, BULAWAYO $9,000

Masvingo Community Based HIV and Vulnerable Children Organization, MASVINGO

$12,000 *

Maunganidze Kindhearted Children’s Organisation, CHITUNGWIZA $9,000 *Nehemiah Project, BULAWAYO $9,000

New Hope Foundation, BRAESIDE $12,000 *New Hope Foundation, BRAESIDE $5,000

Ray of Hope Zimbabwe, CHITUNGWIZA $9,000

Shingirirai Trust, HARARE $9,000

Sibambene AIDS Programme of the Archdiocese of Bulawayo - Sikhethimpilo Centre, MAPHISA

$9,000

Youth For A Child in Christ, BULAWAYO $14,000

Youth For A Child in Christ, BULAWAYO $2,500

Youth in Development Trust, MUTARE $13,000

Zimbabwe Parents of Handicapped Children Association, Bulawayo Branc, BULAWAYO

$13,000

TOTAL !25" $222,700

Operational Support

Funding that supports the operational expenses of an organization, including salaries, rent, phone, internet access, and transportation costs. Fountain of Hope (Zambia) used funds to pay sta" salaries; repair their vehicle; and purchase fuel to be able to conduct their night outreach—critical to e"ectively reaching and establishing trusting relationships with children living on the streets of Lusaka.

Capacity Building

Activities that support organizational development to build strong, sustainable community-based institutions working e"ectively to improve the well-being of children and families. Strategies focus on strengthening gover-nance, management systems, community engagement, monitoring and evaluation, and program strategies and implementation. During a peer learning visit, Justice for Children (Zimbabwe) adopted the Law and Development Association’s (Zambia) database, boosting their e#cacy in tracking cases, making referrals, and monitoring and evaluating their programs. Mara Widows (Tanzania) used their grants to develop a business plan to establish a micro-lending bank—a key sustainability strategy.

Intermediary Community Grantmaking (ICG)**

Funding to well-established organizations that provide capacity building, networking, and micro-grants to very small and at times informal CBOs. ICG helps develop ‘funding pipelines’ that can reach even deeper into com-munities, where resources for children and families are most needed. ICG is not just a mechanism to “get more money out the door.” It is a means of providing appropri-ate “drip-feeds” of funding to small CBOs through larger organizations that have an intimate understanding of local needs and challenges and can provide ongoing, targeted capacity-building support to small groups.

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2009 FINANCIAL REPORT

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION 2009 2008

ASSETS

Current Assets 9,937,245 11,982,456

Property and Equipment, Net 88,098 128,939

Other Assets 6,000 6,000

Total Assets 10,031,343 12,117,395

LIABILITIES

Accounts Payable 101,047 146,978

Grants Payable 1,105,500 1,362,950

Total Liabilities 1,206,547 1,509,928

NET ASSETS

Unrestricted 6,989,489 8,930,466

Temporarily Restricted 1,835,307 1,677,001

Total Net Assets 8,824,796 10,607,467

Total Liabilities and Net Assets 10,031,343 14,098,593

STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES 2009 2008

REVENUE AND SUPPORT

Support from Individuals 153,128 492,355

Support from Foundations 2,425,602 3,194,404

Revenue from Investments -145,479 -1,489,384

Total Revenue and Support 2,433,251 2,197,375

EXPENSES

Grants Awarded 1,675,585 1,970,496

Program Services 1,519,348 1,677,401

General and Administrative 734,802 538,111

Fundraising 286,187 112,195

Total Expenses 4,215,922 4,298,203

Change in Net Assets -1,782,671 -2,100,828

TREASURER’S NOTE

Firelight Foundation awarded 181 grants totaling US$1.9 million during our 2009 !scal year (October 2008–September 2009), bringing our 10-year cumulative total to about US$12 million in grant awards.

In spite of continued challenging economic conditions in !scal year 2009, we sought to maintain grants to our grantee-partners, through direct giving of US$1.675 million and through donor-advised giving of US$268,000.


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Now more than ever during this global economic downturn, Firelight’s work and our grantees’ programs depend on the generosity of people like you.

We hope that you will continue to support Firelight or, if you are new to us, will consider joining our community of dedicated donors.

WHY DONATE TO FIRELIGHT?

Contributions to community-based organizations have life-changing impact on children’s lives.

They are often the di"erence between a meal before bed or sleeping on an empty stomach, and enable children to attend school, opening opportunities for a brighter future.

GIVING TO FIRELIGHT MAKES GOOD SENSE:

1. Through Firelight’s pipeline, your contributions directly reach grassroots organizations and local leaders who intimately know and care for children in need.

2. Firelight’s investments leverage the resilience and solidarity found in communities in Africa.

3. Firelight’s grantee organizations mobilize local volunteers and resources that stretch your donation even further.

4. Our grantees’ work leads to lasting and tangible changes for children and families.

5. Your generosity gives grassroot leaders the resources, energy, and encouragement to continue making a real di"erence in children’s and families’ lives.

SUPPORT FIRELIGHT

EVERY DOLLAR* COUNTS:

A LITTLE GOES A LONG WAY. By mobilizing volunteers and other local resources, grassroots groups are uniqely placed to make the most e"ective use of your donation.

$1 can cover the cost of a book to help parents understand the importance of birth registration. #TUJIKOMBOE GROUP, TANZANIA$

$25 could cover the cost of a uniform, shoes, and socks for a child in preschool. #TUSA MUNYANDI, ZAMBIA$

$120 could provide a small loan to the caregiver of an orphan. #NAMWERA AIDS COORDINATING COMMITTEE, MALAWI$

$250 can help create a children’s rights program in a school to empower youth trained as paralegals to report cases of abuse and liaise with authorities. #THE LAW AND DEVELOPMENT ASSOC., ZAMBIA$

$500 can train 30 caregivers on creating “Memory Books” with their children, to help them cope with life after the death of a parent. #FRIENDS OF CHRIST REVIVAL MINISTRIES, UGANDA$

$1,500 could cover the costs of tools for a carpentry work-shop, where skilled and experienced carpenters train and mentor out-of-school youth. #MALOLE HOME BASED CARE GROUP, ZAMBIA$

$10,000 can fund a grassroots group’s programs supporting families and children for an entire year!

* Costs re"ect the speci#c programs of our grantees and vary by region and by time period. The examples above are from proposals received in 2009.

DONATE ONLINE: (securely) www.%relightfoundation.org

SEND A CHECK TO: Firelight Foundation, 740 Front Street, Suite 380,

Santa Cruz, CA 95060

SHARE STOCK: in a transfer to Firelight via Northern Trust Bank.

GIVE INTO THE FUTURE: with planned giving and

bequests.

Questions? Please call: 831.429.8750

or send an email to our Director of Development, Nayna Agrawal, at:

nayna@!relightfoundation.org

HOW TO GIVE


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DONORS

“Most of us have a short list of causes that we support consistently. My wife and I do, both at the local and state level back in Minnesota. But at the global level, we trust Firelight to ensure that our inter-national giving has a dramatic e#ect in the lives of the truly needy.”

- Pat Bujold

INDIVIDUALSKaren Ande & Je" Johnson

Barbara Ayotte

Catherine Bacon

Isaac Bempong

Marci Berman

Leo Blumberg-Woll

Keyna Bugner

Patrick & Linda Bujold

Tom & Lore Burger

Lawrence Carbone & David Takacs

Rita Carter

Paul Ciccolella

Amanda & Mark Clothier

Paula Clupper

Wendy Cooper

Steven Corbato & Susan Bratton

Janet & Bill Cornyn

Peter Cross

Lynn Danielson

Claire & Robert Danko"

Christopher Davis

Jennifer Delaney

Robert Dixon

Marjorie Ebright

Judy Edghill

Martha Egan

George Ehrhardt

Debra & David Evans

Robert & Sarah Feinerman

Hasanna Fletcher & Dane Ryan

Gregory Ford

Eric Friedman

Betsy Gaiser

Marcel & Elisabeth Gani

Arnab Ghatak

Vikki Golsh

W. Scott Gordon

Robert Gra"am

Ruthann & Jay Hammer

Carin & Glen Hanna

James Hayes

Esther Hewlett

Tricia Hill

Wayne Huang

Alisonn & Razvan Ianculescu

Edward & Jeanette Katz

Dave Katz & Kerry Olson

Ann Kjellberg

Peter & Marie Laugharn

Patty Lentfer

Elizabeth Lewis

Heidi Lidtke

Joanna & Peter Linden

Joan Lombardi & Neville Beharie

Mark Lorey & Deborah Forbes

Mike Lowrie

Natasha Martin

Elisa Massimino

Sherrie & Brian McMahon

Elone Miller

John Munger

John Neilson

Holly & Michael Nelson

Peggy Newell

Doris & Shelley Orgel

Gayle Ortiz

Janis Ost

Peggy & John Overcashier

Jim & Sandra Palmquist

Isabella Parks

Barbara Parlapiano

Deirdre Peterson

James Potash & Sally Scott

David Priest

Thomas Ra"a

Kim Reid

Allen Robel

Theresa Roberts

Kaki Rusmore

Emily Salcido

Danielle Sanchez-Witzel

Lee Sla"

Joanne Smalley

Robert & Tammy Snyder

Steve Spitalny

Scott Staub

Juniper Stein & Nora Jimenez

Jennifer Stenson

Don Stoll & Marianne Kent-Stoll

Lauren Suchman

Brent & Carol Sweeny

Malay & Beverley Thaker

Je" Thurston

David Tremblay

Randy Trigg

Nicholas Vergoth

Howard Ward

Jim & Judy Warner

Audrey Webb

Ellen Weiss & Jonathon Greenberg

Peter & Deborah Wexler

David Wittbrodt

Delene Wolf

We are grateful to all of our donors for their generosity. Their commitment to Firelight makes it possible for us to support communities and families in Sub-Saharan Africa who are working to improve children’s lives.


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BUSINESSESAlpert & Alpert Iron & Metal, Inc. (Los Angeles, CA)

Burness Communications (Bethesda, MD)

Community Printers (Santa Cruz, CA)

Zaplin Lambert Gallery (Santa Fe, NM)

CHURCHESKidzana Ministries (Mukilteo, WA)

Sharptown United Methodist Church (Pilesgrove, NJ)

The First Presbyterian Church (Charleston, WV)

SCHOOLSGeorgiana Bruce Kirby Preparatory School, Students Against Genocide (Santa Cruz, CA)

Paci!c Collegiate School, Youth Together Against AIDS (Santa Cruz, CA)

Perrysburg High School, Humanities Class of 2009 (Perrysburg, OH)

University of California Santa Cruz, Psychology 118B (Santa Cruz, CA)

GIFTS IN HONOR OFTitia & Bill Ellis

by Sally Scott & James Potash

Dave Katz & Kerry Olson by Debra & David Evans, Jeanette

& Edward Katz, Peggy & John Overcashier, Juniper Stein

Alan & Deb Lentfer by Patty Lentfer

Judy Margolis by Catherine Bacon

Janet McDaid by Thomas Ra!a

Rhonnie Reed by W. Scott Gordon

Tim & Sherry Stanton by Randy Trigg

Marianne Steenken & Jochen Gruber

by Nicholas Vergoth

The Sta" of the Firelight Foundation

by Joan Lombardi & Neville Beharie

Georgia Tollin by Danielle Sanchez-Witzel

Abigail & Makenzie White by Joanna & Peter Linden

GIFTS IN MEMORY OFBarbara Epstein

by Ann Kjellberg

Gaby Gani by Marcel & Elisabeth Gani

Amelia James by Barbara Parlapiano

Sylvia Louit by Je! Thurston

Mom by Judy Edghill

Nancy Munger by Amanda & Mark Clothier,

Jennifer Delaney, Mark Lorey, Natasha Martin, Juniper Stein & Nora Jimenez

Sylvia Myers by Leo Blumberg-Woll

Steve Neal by David Priest

Tonderei Phiri by Steve Spitalny

Jack Webb by Audrey Webb

FUNDS AND FOUNDATIONSAmerican Jewish World Service

Eckhardt Chandler Fund at the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County

Elton John AIDS Foundation–UK

Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies Contribution Fund

New Mexico Community Foundation

Nike Foundation

New Field Foundation

The ELMA Foundation

Triskeles Foundation

Tsadik Foundation

World Vision International

“We are the people on the ground, working with communities on the ground....And Firelight’s vision is our vision: to bring positive changes to the lives of vulnerable children.”

–Mrs. Rufaro Mutsau, founder and director of Firelight grantee, Ingalo Zomusa Orphan Care Trust (Gwanda, Zimbabwe)


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BOA

RDS & STA

FF

BOARDS & STAFF

BOARD OF DIREC TORS

Kerry Olson, Founder & President

David Katz, Vice President

Debra Evans, Secretary

Jonathan C. Lewis, Treasurer

Nancy Shallow

ADVISORY BOARD

Geo" Foster, MD Consultant Pediatrician, Ministry of Health, Zimbabwe

Mulugeta Gebru Executive Director, Jerusalem Children and Community Development Organization (JeCCDO)

Stefan Germann World Vision International—HIV and AIDS Hope Initiative

Howard Kasiya Country Program Consultant

Wairimu Mungai Program Director, WEM Integrated Health Services (WEMIHS)

Linda Richter, PhD Executive Director, Child, Youth, Family, and Social Development, Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC)

Cati Vawda Director, Children’s Rights Centre (CRC)

STAFF

Peter Laugharn, Executive Director

Nayna Agrawal, Director of Development

Amee Chapman, IT Systems Engineer

Janice Cook-Silva, Executive Assistant

Gretchen Ellis, Program Assistant

Suzana Grego, Director of Communications & Advocacy

Sarah Jordan, Development Assistant

Aili Langseth, Program O$cer

Jennifer Lentfer, Head of Capacity Building

Alexandra Nicklas, Grantmaking Assistant

Scott J. Pietka, Grants Administrator

Zanele Sibanda, Director of Programs

Stephanie Thompson, Prospect Researcher

Cheryl Talley-Moon, Human Resources & O$ce Manager

Direction by Suzana Grego. Writing and editing by Suzana Grego and other Firelight sta".Photos by Joop Rubens, Cheryl Talley-Moon, and sta" members from the seven community organizations pro!led on pages 7–13. Design by one-em.com.Printed and bound by Community Printers.Printed on paper made with 100% recycled !ber and bleached without the use of chlorine compounds.

VOLUNTEERS

Jessica Carsten

Famy Diener

Maggie McRae

Bob Moon

Amkela Sibanda

Travis Swanson

INTERNS

Jennie Konsella-Norene

Kelsey Nocket

Charmaine Peck

Bridget Zwimpfer

* COMMUNITY!BASED ORGANIZATIONS

Firelight Foundation 740 Front Street, Suite 380 Santa Cruz, CA 95060 USA

Tel: +1.831.429.8750Fax: +1.831.429.2036

[email protected] www.firelightfoundation.org

Copy

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© 2

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Fire

light

Fou

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ion.

All

Righ

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ved.

Every child, regardless of race, creed, country, or other factor is raised in a supportive family and community, in a safe environment, with adequate food, shelter, and healthcare, and a sound education.

Children’s rights are recognized, protected, and upheld, as an integral part of human rights.

The strengths of children and families are recognized and their voices are valued and heard.

Community solidarity—one of Africa’s strengths and assets—is widely recognized as vital to e"orts to improve children’s well-being in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Communities take action to address issues that a"ect vulnerable children and families.

There is a widespread belief and corresponding investment in community-based organiza-tions as a strong and growing facet of civil society.

Governments, donors, nongovernmental organizations, community-based organizations, communities, and individuals work together to guarantee children’s sustained quality of life.

There is global awareness and e"ective action to address the severe impact of HIV/AIDS and poverty on Africa’s children.

OUR VISION

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Firelight Foundation 2009 Annual Report

Documents