J.K Rowling is a name not unheard of. She is a celebrated author of the much-loved and treasured Harry potter series, published between the years 1997 and 20017. We owe a lot to J.K Rowling for colouring our childhoods in wild imagination, for bringing life to a world of magic in which we immersed ourselves so deep, there was no point of return. While Harry Potter is her greatest contribution to the world, there are a lot of acts of charity and ventures for change initiated by J.K Rowling that have made someone else’s life better.
She is the richest author in the world with a net worth of one billion dollars, however, she claims otherwise, and that might be true because large amounts of her wealth are generously donated to charity.
Lumos
She is the founder of Lumos, an NGO founded with the aim to reunite children in institutes and foster care with their parents. The vision behind Lumos is to create a safe haven for children where they are loved and cared for. She started this program in 2005 after being inspired by an article about children in caged beds at institutions in the Czech Republic. Over a decade later, she has now made a difference in the lives of many children.
In December of 2022, the philanthropic author launched Beira’s Place, a women-run support service to victims of sexual violence. Through this organisation, she hopes to provide care, support and advocacy for women in Edinburgh who have experienced sexual violence.
The NGO is named after Beira, the Scottish goddess of winter, and aims to ease the lives of those experiencing trauma and turmoil following nasty experiences of assault and other sexual violations. The idea is to create a safe space, run by women, for women.
“As a survivor of sexual assault myself, I know how important it is that survivors have the option of women-centred and women-delivered care at such a vulnerable time,” says J.K Rowling.
She is a true inspiration of a woman who defies all odds in doing the best for the society, through her monetary and non-financial contributions. Her work, be it literary fiction, or solving social issues, has made a lasting impact on the lives of many.