“Our work means taking care of Mother Earth, you, me, and everyone. The truth is that we can’t blame anyone else; we ourselves are responsible for taking care of Mother Earth.”

— Naiyan Kiplagat, co-founder of Paran Women’s Group and Alnoba Leadership Award recipient

Dear Friend,

In 2021, we commemorated our first official Indigenous Peoples Day in the U.S.—but the UN has recognized August 9 as International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples since 1994. Both at home and through our travels, my family and I have long shared a deep respect for the teachings of Indigenous peoples. While their cultures are diverse, they are proud stewards of their traditions and their lands … and they face common challenges in their fight to preserve them.

This Friday, I hope you will join me in reflecting upon the importance of protecting the rights of Indigenous people, whose livelihoods are increasingly under threat in our rapidly advancing world. This could not be more evident when you consider the 2025 theme: Indigenous Peoples and Artificial Intelligence: Defending Rights, Shaping Futures. With technology moving at the speed of a runaway train, there is much at risk if Indigenous peoples are left behind—from bias and misinformation to environmental impact from data centers.

Through our work with Grand Circle Foundation and the Alnoba Lewis Family Foundation, we have supported Indigenous leaders, activists, and communities in more than 50 countries. This includes our annual Alnoba International Leadership Award, which honors bold leaders outside the U.S. who passionately defend the Earth we share. You can learn more about past recipients here.

Below, I also share some recent updates from schools and villages that would not have been possible without your generosity. Together, we are changing lives in communities throughout the world we travel, and I thank you for your continued support.
Love and Peace,

 

 

Harriet Lewis

Mongolia – Magic Land: Supported since 2022 with $31,160 funds donated.

For afterschool programs and extracurricular activities, the Grand Circle Foundation was happy to construct a new soccer field, which can also be used for volleyball and other activities. This field gives the students a place to play that will encourage a healthy lifestyle and provide somewhere to go when school is not in session.

 

Tanzania – Tloma Primary School:  Supported since 2012 with $153,000 funds donated.

We have supported this school since 2012, and understand the desperate need for this renovation. The children now have a more comfortable environment to encourage learning, and teachers can concentrate on teaching instead of the challenges posed by a deteriorating classroom.

South Korea – Babybox Center:  Supported since 2019 with $21,240 funds donated.

This Foundation site allows single mothers to have a safe place to stay while raising their children. We recently supported additional furnishings for the house and a new washer and dryer.

South Africa – Fountain Primary School:  $10,821 funded since 2024.

Although our partnership with this school was short lived, we were very proud to provide the school with updated textbooks to the students.  These textbooks will allow the teachers to provide a higher quality of education.

Thank you for your generous support of Grand Circle Foundation, and the trust you place in our team to ensure your donation is used as intended.

Because all administration costs are funded by Grand Circle Corporation, 100% of all donations are tax deductible and returned to our partner sites.

If you made a donation to support a specific project and would like an update on how the funds were used, please feel free to contact us at: [email protected], or call 800-859-0852.

Grand Circle Foundation
347 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210