Letter from the Director

Dear Friends,

Over the past four years, Firelight has listened to children, youth, and parents in Africa talk about how HIV/AIDS affects their families and communities. They have shared how it impacts their daily lives, intensifies poverty, and overwhelms extended families. We have learned about how children are taking on the roles of adults and how communities are coping with illness, stigma, and death. Their words speak clearly:

• “HIV/AIDS is seen as an adult problem, but the children are caregivers, are infected, and are traumatized.”
• “Our communities are responding to the needs of orphans and vulnerable children every day. Help us create wealth in the community so that they don’t have to turn away their own children.”
• “The campaign against HIV is not a one-month program, everyone needs to be involved. We need materials, a public address system, vehicles, videos, etc.”

Firelight’s grants respond to these voices. Firelight funds local ideas to enhance community participation and to address the needs of orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV/AIDS. In the pages that follow, you will read about how our grantee-partners develop innovative programs and build on existing responses to these problems. Some of these responses are not obvious to the outside donor, such as when a woman takes in her neighbor’s orphaned children. Or, they may challenge deeply held assumptions, such as proving that HIV-positive caregivers are credit-worthy. These programs enable children to go to school with dignity and enhance the spirit of volunteerism and giving within the community.

Firelight’s growth in the past four years has paralleled that of our grantee-partners. We started with a one-room office, a part-time Administrative Assistant, Cheryl Talley-Moon and a volunteer Program Director, Tammy Moody. In April 2001, I joined the team as Director. A year later, we moved into expanded offices, increased the international representation of our Advisory Board, and hired additional program staff: Jennifer Anderson-Bähr, Senior Program Officer, and Caitlin Brune, Program Officer. As we grew, we expanded our outreach through donor education, fundraising, and a pen pal exchange. Today we are poised to build upon the effectiveness of our grantee-partners’ work through meetings, workshops, and our strategic alliances with other donors.

None of this would have been possible without the vision, guidance, and practical support of our founders Kerry Olson and Dave Katz. Kerry has led the Foundation through an amazing process of growth and development, while keeping our vision focused on children. Dave has provided us with computer and networking support, financial know-how, and practical insights. Their wisdom and thoughtfulness are evident in everything we do.

Many people express astonishment at how much a small foundation has achieved in such a short time. For this Firelight thanks our founders, donors, grantee-partners, board members, staff, volunteers, and colleagues. Firelight’s success is due to the relationships we have established with extraordinary individuals. As you will read in the following pages, it is these courageous individuals who are creating hope for children and their families in the face of HIV/AIDS.

Warmly,

Jennifer Astone, Ph.D. – Director