On April 19, 2025, GiveLight celebrates 20 years of providing a loving home and family to orphaned children around the world. By founding GiveLight Foundation, Dian hoped to create something positive out of the tragedy of the 2004 Asia Tsunami, which left thousands of children orphaned. Project Noordeen in Aceh, Indonesia, was the first of GiveLight’s homes, providing care and support for 50 orphans. Today, 32 of our children have graduated from college, seven have gotten married, and they are giving back either by mentoring our younger children or contributing financially!
GiveLight has come a long way in these 20 years – from a 2005 Mercury News article titled “Local woman leads drive to shelter tsunami orphans” to a special feature in the Huffington Post’s The New Global Leader, Part IX, GiveLight’s journey is only just beginning.
In these past 20 years, GiveLight Foundation has grown from caring for 50 orphans to supporting thousands of orphans across 20 countries. GiveLight has built 7 loving homes across Morocco, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, South Africa, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka. We have also partnered with over 15 NGOs to provide support to hundreds of children, from Afghanistan, Egypt, Somalia, Lebanon, Yemen, Jordan, Turkey, and Gaza all the way to Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, and even Mexico and Nepal.
GiveLight’s homes have been visited by incredible volunteers and scholars, including Sheikh Alaeddin Bakri at our home in Aceh, Indonesia, and Bangladesh and Imam Zaid Shakir in our Morocco home, Maison de Lumière!
Celebrate the past 20 years with us this anniversary as we reflect on our journey and all the amazing things to come. Thank you for your trust and for embarking on the beautiful journey of giving light with us.
Our Children
We have been blessed to see not only the growth of GiveLight as an organization, but especially the growth of our children!
Below, we feature the beautiful stories and faces of our children from GiveLight’s homes around the world.
Hear from Our GiveLight Family
In honor of our 20th anniversary, we are so grateful to share messages and memories from our amazing GiveLight family!
Watch these amazing videos from GiveLight family members around the world.
Below we feature three incredibly heartfelt messages from longtime members of the GiveLight family. We are incredibly grateful for the dedication and love from our volunteers who help to make GiveLight’s dreams a reality!
And just like that, 20 years have flown by… Born out of unimaginable tragedy, the Givelight Foundation now brings hope and support to thousands of orphaned children across the globe. When a devastating tsunami struck Aceh, Indonesia two decades ago, my close friend and Givelight’s founder, Dian Alyan, lost over 40 members of her family. Faced with heartbreak, she chose not to remain in shock or sorrow—instead, she turned her grief into action. She mobilized her network, igniting a movement that would go on to change countless lives.
I’ve had the privilege of volunteering with Givelight since its inception. From making calls to secure event sponsors, to organizing our annual community walkathons, I’ve witnessed the power of collective compassion. In recent years, I’ve joined the foundation’s expansion and partnership team—an experience that has only deepened my admiration for Givelight’s integrity and stewardship. Every dollar is maximized, every donation is handled with transparency, and every effort is made to ensure the children we serve are given the best possible care—homes, education, food, clothing, and healthcare.
One thing has remained consistent over these 20 years: people give—eagerly and generously—when they hear Givelight’s mission. When they see the tangible impact on children in disaster-stricken regions, their hearts open, and their support follows. I’m honored to be part of this journey and look forward to the next 20 years of service—continuing to shine a light for the children who need it most.
Rehmat Kharal
Salam dear Dian,
As GiveLight marks its 20th anniversary, I find myself reflecting not only on the extraordinary legacy you’ve built, but also on our more than 20 years of friendship—rooted in shared values, deep conversations, and a mutual commitment to serve.
Even before the devastating 2004 tsunami, I watched in awe as you made the courageous decision to leave a high-profile corporate career to serve the Muslim community. You stepped away from the comforts of professional success to follow a calling far greater—joining an organization that allowed you to uplift and support others with purpose and faith.
Then came the unimaginable loss of your loved ones in the tsunami. But instead of turning inward, you transformed your grief into compassion. Out of that pain, the GiveLight Foundation was born—a living tribute to love, resilience, and hope. Over the past two decades, it has become a beacon for orphans around the world and a reminder to all of us that true healing often comes through giving.
Your journey has inspired countless people—not only the children you care for, but also those who now find deeper meaning in giving their time, their resources, and their hearts. You’ve created something that changes lives, and in doing so, you’ve built a legacy that will endure far beyond our time.
I’ve long dreamed of bringing a GiveLight project to my beloved homeland, Myanmar — especially in the wake of the catastrophic 7.7 earthquake on March 28, 2025. More than 60 masjids were destroyed, and so many of our brothers and sisters were left homeless, including many children. Your dear father, may Allah bless him, once tried to help lay the foundation for something beautiful there. I hope, insha’Allah, that we can pick up that thread and carry it forward, together.
Thank you, Dian, for being a source of light in this world—for the orphans, for the givers, and for friends like me who are forever changed by your strength and grace.
With love and deep admiration, Yasmin
In August 2013, shortly before my second child’s birth, my father-in-law was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He traveled from Egypt, and though his health declined, he found joy in meeting his grandson. While my husband and his parents were away for Hajj, my brother urged me to host Dian, a stranger. Initially hesitant, I agreed.
The night I picked up Dian from the airport, she presented about the Give Light Foundation at a local mosque. The video showcasing the children in her orphanages around the world moved me deeply. Watching it, I couldn’t help but think of my son and the privileges we often take for granted. I was struck by the realization that these orphans could easily be my own children. This moment reminded me of the importance of finding purpose in difficult times, akin to Huthaifa bin Yaman’s story.
In December, shortly before my father-in-law passed away, sharing a poignant wish to open a toy store for children. This connection to children highlighted his life’s purpose. My gratitude for Dian and the Give Light Foundation has since grown, as they embody blessings for those who encounter them, reminding us of the importance of caring for orphans. This was what Islam teaches us through our prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who was also an orphan. Praise be to God.
Nouran Ali
The Citizens Foundation has long worked towards providing high quality education for underprivileged children in Pakistan. It is particularly for those from the hardest background, such as orphans, who we want to provide an education to the most. GiveLight has made that possible for years now.
Every year, GiveLight supports more and more orphans to pursue a life that would otherwise be out of reach. These children, because of the loss of their parents, have no financial means to pursue education. But, GiveLight has stepped in to change that. Dian and her team now support the entire cost of education for 500 orphans in Pakistan. Because of this support, each of those children has the chance to dream. Each of these children can imagine a future where they decide who they want to become.
Since their first year supporting our work in 2018 through today, Dian and GiveLight have been the perfect partners. We are overwhelmed by the good we have done together so far and Insha’Allah look forward to doing so much more together in the future. Happy 20 years to everyone at GiveLight!!
Eric Temple, The Citizen’s Foundation
My name is Tasneem Arain. I have been an educator for several decades, and served as Board of Education president overseeing 5 schools for a Southern California community. My connection to GiveLight is through my sisters, Naurin and Noshaba, as well as my parents, nieces and nephews. It was made deeper when I taught a class through Zoom to my Bangladeshi girls. Each one of them became so special. They were so excited and eager to meet each week. I saw and felt their love via my laptop.
I love GL’s work because they keep the children at focus and provide holistic support, basic needs, mental and emotional support, as well as academic and spiritual education and support.
I made an intention to be a life long donor for GiveLight because of its transparency. I feel confident where my money is going directly to raise the children under their care.
My dream for GL is for each GiveLight home to be self-sufficient and provide a safe loving and nurturing space for all the children in the 100 years to come.
Tasneem Arain
