Lumos Foundation: J.K. Rowling’s Magical Venture
J.K. Rowling may be most famous for her adventurous and classic tales of witchcraft and wizardry, but the author of the Harry Potter franchise has much more up her sleeve. The Lumos Foundation, Rowling’s charitable organization, has bettered the lives of millions.
A well-known advocate for international human rights, Rowling spent time volunteering for Amnesty International prior to her breakout success. Rowling cites her time with the organization for teaching her about the kind of impact she wishes to have for humanity. In the wake of her celebrity status, Rowling became the 12th richest woman in the world. With her wealth, Rowling decided to donate half of it to charitable causes, taking a pledge alongside other billionaires and initiated by Bill Gates.
The Lumos Foundation
Rowling’s shining charitable achievement, however, is the Lumos Foundation. The Lumos Foundation is an organization committed to providing basic human rights services for over eight million children living in institutions. The organization seeks to provide community-based services such as primary education and healthcare as replacements for institutions that often neglect these basic needs.
While the Lumos Foundation is globally minded, it focuses most specifically on Eastern European nations. Moldova, for example, has one of the highest institutionalization rates among children of any nation. “Most of these vulnerable young people are not orphans and poverty has separated them from their parents,” says Lumos, concerning orphanages in Moldova. Furthermore, many of these children are placed in institutions due to gaps in the education system. Children with disabilities are especially at a disadvantage and have a high chance of being institutionalized.
“Lumos works on every level, with every actor, to transform an outdated and harmful system into one which supports and protects children and enables them to have a positive future.” Founding the Lumos Foundation and supporting the development of the world’s most vulnerable citizens, children, shows how dedicated Rowling is to advocacy (even without Hogwart’s training.)
– Taylor Diamond
