Frequently asked questions

Answered by a team member at Alight

• What is your mission?

  Alight is an open family of organizations that works closely with refugees, trafficked persons, and economic migrants, to co- design solutions that help them build full and fulfilling lives— lives which are alight. We work with our constituents to provide health care, clean water, shelter, protection and economic opportunities to more than 3.5 million people in 17 countries each year.

• How are donations used?

  Our vision is that every person who participates in an Alight program or project will have a better chance to take control of their life and achieve self sufficiency. Refugees share with us what they need, and we work together to create programs that make the most sense for that particular community. To these unique solutions, Alight is able to bring more than 35 years of expertise in services – like health care and sanitation – that are critical to refugee communities. We apply our experience to suit each community and to continue pursuing new and better solutions to enduring humanitarian challenges.

• What can be done with a $100 donation?

  Alight takes financial responsibility incredibly seriously. We carefully steward your gift to ensure it goes directly to the people who need it most. 90% of all donations go to our international programs. We are proud to be recognized by America's major charity watchdog organizations for our effectiveness and efficiency. We receive "4 stars" from Charity Navigator and an "A+" from Charity Watch.

• What progress has been made already thanks to your donors?

  Alight teams are reimagining humanitarianism for the 21st Century. We are on a mission to transform our work to be more human, impactful, relevant and authentic. Alight was named to Fast Company’s prestigious annual list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2019.

  The list honors the businesses making the most profound impact on both industry and culture, showcasing a variety of ways to thrive in today’s volatile world. Half of the companies on this year’s MIC 50 list are appearing for the first time.

  “Breakthrough solutions for refugees and the marginalized are way overdue, so we’re honored that Fast Company has recognized this critical work,” said Daniel Wordsworth, Alight President & CEO. “Human-centered design and co-creation with passionate companies and individuals have been central as we’ve created new services that respond to what really matters to people we serve.”

• What is the history of your organization?

  Alight, formerly the American Refugee Committee, is and always has been about global citizens taking action to change our world. More than 35 years ago, Chicago businessman Neal Ball started the organization. He recruited a volunteer relief team who deployed to the Thai-Cambodian border. Even in the face of terrible tragedy, that first team was characterized by their incredible energy and belief that anything was possible.

  Today, we’re facing challenging global humanitarian crises that require 21st Century solutions. But we’ve found that co-creating together with dedicated people remains the key to designing new solutions that resonate. We still believe that Alight should exist, first and foremost, as a platform for realizing the goodwill of everyday people – people from Sweden to Somalia, Minnesota to Malaysia, Uganda to the U.S.

• What are some of the coolest innovations you've launched?

  Alight is rolling out Kuja Kuja – its customer feedback system – to locations across East Africa. Kuja Kuja asks customers – refugees themselves – what they actually want. The system tracks customers’ levels of satisfaction with products and services, records their ideas for how those services might be improved, and makes that data freely available for everyone to see and use at www.kujakuja.com. Other Alight innovations include Asili – a health care and clean water social enterprise in eastern Congo – and the I AM A STAR for Somalia campaign.

  https://wearealight.org/named…

• What does it mean to "do the doable"?

  The world’s tough problems can seem insurmountable. So at Alight, while we tackle those big problems we also do what’s doable. Right then. And that’s what Changemakers 365 is all about. It’s about doing the doable, effecting real change for $500 or less each and every day.

  What does $500 worth of change look like? More than you’d think.

  It looks like cots and mattresses – a soft place to rest – for refugees who’ve just completed their journey to a refugee camp. It looks like art supplies for kids who need a safe place to wait while their siblings and parents receive therapy for malnutrition. It looks like a fresh coat of paint for refugee camp buildings, brightening everyone’s day.

  It looks like real change – every single day – for an entire year.

  As they go about their daily work, our staff around the world see new opportunities to do better, to do more. Changemakers 365 is about getting behind our staff and helping them seize opportunities to help people in a big way with a small amount of money. And it’s about showing our supporters just what a difference, what a big impact their support can make.

  ” What would I do with $500? I would buy bedding and mattresses to put in the Reception Center for refugees and asylum seekers – where they stay until we can setup a shelter for them. All of these people have traveled for days and weeks to reach the refugee settlement. Some have medical complications as the result of violence or abuse. And right now, they have to sleep on the floor and have no soft spot to lie down.” -Harriet Adong, Alight Uganda

  Everyday, we fund an Alight changemaker, someone who is doing the doable and making change. They’ll share impact with you – with photos, video and details on the Changemakers 365 Blog and through regular emails.

  https://wearealight.org/about…