J.K. Rowling founded Lumos to help disadvantaged children.
Lumos is an international charity founded by Rowling in 2005. It works to end the institutionalisation of children and promote family-based care and community services. The organisation was originally called the Children’s High Level Group and was renamed Lumos in 2010, taking its name from the light-producing spell in the Harry Potter books.
The charity focuses on children separated from their families, including those living in orphanages or other institutions. Its work includes supporting family reunification, strengthening community services, and helping governments change systems that place children into institutional care. Lumos argues that institutionalisation can harm children’s development and wellbeing.
Lumos is different from Rowling’s charitable trust, Volant Charitable Trust, which she established earlier. The two organisations are connected to her philanthropy but have separate identities and purposes.