Aurora Movement Keeps Growing: Learn More about Our Global Impact

The GRATITUDE IN ACTION newsletter is tailored to keep Aurora’s community connected and up to date on our progress. The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative empowers modern-day heroes improving the lives of those in need across the globe while creating a universal model for others to follow. Through our programs, Aurora has established a unique network of activists, humanitarians, and experts and has already benefitted over 2,700,000 people worldwide. Read the stories below to get inspired and put your gratitude into action!

2020 Aurora Prize Laureates Fartuun Adan & Ilwad Elman decided to use their award to support Love Does , an organization fighting for human rights, caring for the vulnerable and providing education in conflict zones. Thanks to that, little Samson Bilolwa Chilobo became a student of the newly built Aurora Primary School in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The construction of the school was fully covered by Aurora and implemented by Love Does and Justice Rising.

“From my first day here, I could tell the school was different from my old one. At my old school, it was dirty, they beat kids, and it was expensive to send us there. But here, the school is beautiful, clean, and the teachers are so kind. Learning is fun because the teachers are so good and patient. I really like learning Math and French!” – Samson Bilolwa Chilobo.

On July 18, Nelson Mandela International Day, Aurora organized a discussion titled “Fighting for Change: Life Stories of Aurora Modern-Day Heroes” in partnership with?The New Humanitarian. The event, moderated by Heba Aly , CEO of The New Humanitarian , featured exceptional human rights and social activists from Aurora’s network who have followed in Mandela's footsteps, namely Michael Lapsley (South Africa), founder of INSTITUTE FOR HEALING OF MEMORIES - NORTH AMERICA INC and anti-apartheid activist; Sunitha Krishnan (India), 2018 Aurora Humanitarian and co-founder of Prajwala India ; Mahienour ElMassry (Egypt), 2022 Aurora Humanitarian and political activist; and Marino Cordoba (Colombia), human rights activist and founder of AFRODES. Some of the activists talked about finding inspiration in unusual places and not shying away from negative emotions that are rarely brought to the forefront in the field of humanitarian work.

“Anger has driven me for the last 30 years. It triggered [my activism], it nurtures it, it pushes it, it drives it, it sustains it. At the age of thirteen, when I was gang-raped by several men, it left me with a deep, deep outrage of not the rape per se, but how the world viewed me. That was the trigger of the first anger that made me what I am today,” – Sunitha Krishnan.

The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative announced that Armine Afeyan has rejoined its team as Executive Director. Mrs. Afeyan previously held the role of Director of Communications for the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity in 2015–2016. In her new role, she will oversee the Initiative’s day-to-day activities and strengthen Aurora’s ties in North America and Europe. Prior to Aurora, Armine spent the balance of her career in consumer technology companies, most recently serving as a general manager at Wayfair .

“It’s great to come home to Aurora. I’m proud of how far we’ve come over the past eight years and excited to contribute to our next stage of growth. Above all else, I’m humbled by the opportunity to share Aurora humanitarians’ stories with the world. We hoped this wouldn't be the case at our founding, but the world needs humanitarians now more than ever. I couldn’t be prouder to put my gratitude into action by rejoining Aurora at this crucial moment.” – Armine Afeyan.