Lumos is the J.K. Rowling charity that supports children in Eastern Europe, Africa, and the United Kingdom.
Rowling founded the organization in 2005 under the name Children’s High Level Group. It was renamed Lumos in 2010, taking its name from a light-related spell in the Harry Potter books. The charity works to end the institutionalization of children and to promote family- and community-based care.
Lumos focuses on children who may be separated from families or placed in residential institutions because of poverty, disability, illness, or social disadvantage. Its programs have included work with governments and local partners to reform care systems and support children in families and communities.
The charity’s name is a reference rather than a claim that the organization is part of the Harry Potter fictional universe. Rowling has also supported other causes, including multiple sclerosis research and anti-poverty initiatives, but Lumos is the organization specifically associated with reforming institutional care for children.