Who founded the Harry Potter charitable organization Lumos?

J.K. Rowling founded the charity Lumos. She launched the organization in 2005 under the name Children’s High Level Group after reading a newspaper article about children living in institutions.

The charity later became known as Lumos, a name connected with light. Its work focuses on ending the institutionalization of children and supporting family-based care and community services. The organization operates internationally and advocates for children to grow up in families or family-like settings rather than large residential institutions.

The name is familiar to Harry Potter readers because “Lumos” is also a wand-lighting spell in the books. The charity’s work, however, is a real-world child-protection program rather than a Harry Potter project or fictional institution.

Rowling has supported the organization through personal involvement and philanthropy. Lumos has emphasized that removing children from institutions is not enough by itself; systems also need safe family support, education, health services and protection from harm.