Seeds of Light

CoreLight’s Humanitarian Arm

“Love never divides. It always multiplies.”
—Leslie Temple-Thurston

Sacred Activism Is Love in Action

About Seeds of Light

Our hearts were broken wide open in 2000, when we learned about the plight of orphans in South Africa. At the time there were over 1.5 million children orphaned due to AIDS. Today there are over 3.5 million according to some estimates, and many more “vulnerable children”—those with at least one ill or absent parent.

So in 2000, a small group of us committed to do something to help the children and specifically to uplift the community of Acornhoek near our home in Limpopo Province. We started Seeds of Light, CoreLight’s humanitarian arm.

About one in four people is HIV+ in Acornhoek. There is limited water and electricity, a 60-70% unemployment rate and dire poverty in this far-flung collection of rural villages.


Because there is no shortage of need there, Seeds of Light’s work has grown tremendously over the years. Our goal is to create sustainable projects and empowerment programs that in essence teach people to fish instead of giving them the fish. Over the decades, our service work has included:

  • Helping to build a center for orphans and vulnerable children
  • Training “champions”—people (usually women) who have a vision to support the community
  • Focusing on the education and empowerment of young women
  • Starting food gardens and focusing on food security
  • Providing permaculture gardening training
  • Leading art classes for children and training art teachers
  • Drilling boreholes (wells)
  • Supporting schools
  • Providing computer literacy training
  • Pairing with local “sister” organizations to provide further community support
  • And so much more

Seeds of Light stands on its own now and has attained non-profit status in South Africa. It has developed a strong reputation in the local community as a trusted organization with integrity and a track record of success.

CoreLight proudly continues to fundraise for Seeds of Light’s inspiring initiatives and to be represented on its Board of Directors.

Inspiring Seeds of Light Videos: Our Successes