Two decades. $40 million raised. Community action and global impact against AIDS. Grandmothers and grandothers around the world are powerful leaders, changemakers and health and human rights activists, while holding families and communities together. They are integral to the global HIV response.

Contraceptives save lives. They are key to preventing HIV transmission and protecting sexual and reproductive health and rights around the world. Access to contraception directly impacts health, equity and agency, including for women and girls, LGBTIQ communities, and communities affected by HIV.

“MusicWorks taught me not to give up because giving up is not an option even if times are hard.”

Stephen Lewis Foundation partners reached 2.1 million people through community-led programs in 2024!

In 2024, SLF partners reached over 2.1 million people! Read our new Annual Report for insights on how communities in 14 countries across Africa are making real progress in health, dignity and human rights — despite enormous challenges.

Act now for the @globalfund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. This year is a make-or-break moment in the HIV response. ✅ Email your MP Tell them you want Canada to show bold leadership at a time when U.S. international funding cuts threaten to undo decades of progress in global health.

Act now for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Contact your MP today! This year is a make-or-break moment in the HIV response. ✅ Email your MP 📞 Call your MP 📝 Write a letter to the editor

Today is World Sexual Health Day. This is a day to advocate for sexual justice, where all people have the right to health, information and dignity.

Cycling with my Victoria Grandmothers 4 Africa crew today, raising money for the Stephen Lewis Foundation @theslf.org. The cycling fundraiser is great fun, a great way to help other people, and also a great recovery goal. I’m over half way there. Donate if you can.

“I am a criminal in Uganda. Why? Because I am a bisexual womxn.”

Community-led organizations are driving real progress against the HIV epidemic. According to a UNAIDS 2024 study, new HIV transmissions around the globe have declined by 40% since 2010.

Negem Lela Ken New HIV Positive Women Support Organization (NLK) is an indigenous, non-profit, non-governmental organization founded in 2005 by five women living with HIV.

A 2025 UNAIDS study revealed that women and girls in sub-Saharan Africa account for 63% of all new HIV infections.

Mariam Mulindwa is an inspiration to everyone who knows her and a proud member of SLF partner Phoebe Education Fund for Orphans & Vulnerable Children (PEFO) in Uganda.

On Saturday, you may have seen us featured in The Globe and Mail alongside 12 other leading Canadian humanitarian organizations committed to protecting the health and human rights of children, families, and communities worldwide.

This #BookLoversDay we’re spotlighting a powerful and enduring read. It's been 20 years since Race Against Time, the bestselling book based on Stephen Lewis’s 2005 Massey Lectures, was first published. Two decades later, his insights on global inequities that drive the HIV epidemic still ring true.

“Every time an organization like The Slaight Family Foundation steps up, they’re setting an example for others. They’re saying, now is the time for other philanthropists to do the same. They’re saying to the Canadian gov't, this is what Canadians want,” the SLF's Meg French told CBC this week.

▶️ Read our full press release: stephenlewisfoundation.org/stories/1m-in-emergency-support-from-the-slaight-family-foundation-to-help-protect-progress-against-aids

The Stephen Lewis Foundation (SLF) is among 13 leading Canadian humanitarian organizations to receive $1M each to address the devastating impacts of the Trump administration’s international funding cuts.

The SLF will receive $1 million in emergency support from The Slaight Family Foundation to sustain 9 community-led organizations impacted by the Trump administration’s cuts to international aid. www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-slaight-family-foundation-to-give-13-organizations-1-million-each

“In a time of crisis, the world must choose transformation over retreat,” said Winnie Byanyima, executive director of @unaids.org. “Together, we can still end AIDS as a public health threat ... if we act with urgency, unity, and unwavering commitment.”

Abrupt cuts to US global HIV funding have sent shockwaves through the sector, jeopardizing progress made over the last two decades and threatening life-saving programs. This reinforces the need for a bold, collective response that puts communities, not politics, at the centre of the HIV response.

You can play a part in creating an inclusive and equitable future. Challenge ableism, and support programs that promote equal access to income opportunities, rights, and health care, including essential HIV services.

Meet our passionate and purpose-driven Stephen Lewis Foundation (SLF) team! Our annual staff retreat was a wonderful opportunity for us all to reconnect, reflect and recharge!

This article by Stephanie Nolen, Global Health Reporter for The New York Times, underscores the urgency currently felt by veteran HIV activists. They are coming forward in the face of international funding cuts, concerned that communities around the world could see a resurgence of the AIDS pandemic.

Will you be in Toronto this Pride Weekend? Come say hello, take a photo with our SLF team, and learn about Partners in Pride at the Pride StreetFair! Our booth (E5 on the map) is located near the corner of Church St. and Wellesley St. See you there! #PrideToronto #LGBTIQRights #TransRights

This Pride Month, Gloria from Freedom and Roam Uganda (FARUG), is sharing this powerful reminder of how we can make the greatest impact as champions of health and human rights to end the #HIV epidemic.

Join our dynamic and dedicated SLF team! We're hiring a Deputy Director, Philanthropic Partnerships. Learn more and apply at theslf.org/careers. 📍Apply by July 18, 2025.

Your generosity allows us to act quickly to meet urgent needs in communities where our partners deliver critical interventions. Swatini Action Group Against Abuse recently told us that thanks to SLF funding, they will be able to keep one of their two national GBV emergency intervention officers.

🏳️‍🌈 Parents in Tanzania are speaking out to protect children from anti-LGBTIQ stigma, discrimination and violence. This #PrideMonth and year-round, join us in celebrating the power of grassroots movements like the Parents’ Acceptance Campaign by BIO, an SLF partner: theslf.org/Partners-in-Pride-Donate

This #Pride Month, join us in celebrating LGBTIQ joy, in demanding rights and freedoms, and in acknowledging the power of resistance and hope. Health and human rights for all!

Pride vs. Prejudice—a film about a landmark LGBTIQ rights case—will be screened at #TIFF. Doug Stollery, Emeritus Board Member and stalwart SLF supporter, executive produced the film. Doug is an advocate for LGBTIQ rights in Canada and around the globe. For tickets: www.tiff.net/events/pride...

🏳️‍🌈 Hello Toronto-area changemakers! Volunteer AND celebrate Pride with our SLF team at our Pride Weekend StreetFair booth on June 27, 28 or 29. Simply sign up for one or more short shifts as one of our Partners in Pride, and champion LGBTIQ health and human rights with us: lnkd.in/ez2E9z6F

Align your life and legacy. You can make meaningful impact through legacy giving. A gift to the Stephen Lewis Foundation in your Will can protect progress against AIDS for future generations. Your legacy has the power to champion health and human rights for years to come: theslf.org/legacy-giving

Your legacy has the power to inspire hope for years to come. Many people are surprised to learn it is often possible to make the substantive and meaningful impact we imagined, but perhaps were unable to fulfill during our lifetime, through legacy giving. Learn more at theslf.org/legacy-giving

“SWAGAA has allowed me to envision a brighter future...” Swatini Action Group Against Abuse in Eswatini addresses gender-based violence in the context of #HIV. They help survivors get the support they need. Give monthly to amplify your impact and sustain life-saving programs: theslf.org/give-now

"You too are a bridge." Ndinini Kimesera Sikar co-founded Maasai Women Development Organization (MWEDO), an SLF partner in Tanzania, to protect health and human rights for women and girls. Watch her recent TED Talk: www.ted.com/talks/ndinini_kimesera_sikar_you_are_the_bridge_to_the_next_generation

As we celebrate Mother’s Day, we hope you’ll join us in taking a moment to honour the mothers, daughters, sisters, aunties and grandmothers who hold their families and communities together with love, courage and care. Happy Mother’s Day! (Photo Credit: DeLovie Kwagala/Sophiatown/South Africa)

❤ This Mother's Day you can give a meaningful and impactful gift AND be sure it will arrive in time! Visit theslf.org/mothers-day-2025 ❤ Simply donate online, select your e-card, and add a personal message for someone special in your life. You can even schedule delivery on Sunday, May 11.

Join us online for a fireside chat in honour of International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexphobia and Transphobia (#IDAHOBIT), May 15. Get insight on current realities LGBTIQ-led orgs are navigating and the impact on the #HIV response for communities in Uganda: theslf.org/idahobit-2025

"Climate change is real in our community,” shares PENAF in Kenya. For community-led organizations, climate emergencies compound the impacts of insufficient funding for HIV responses. Adequate nutrition is also needed for treatment to be effective. You can help: theslf.org/safeguard-the-future

Make your voice heard on global health and rights! You can take action at the local level this Canadian federal election. Learn more about the impact of U.S. funding loss on the HIV movement, read our letter to the Prime Minister, and get your advocacy guide here: stephenlewisfoundation.org/advocacy

Give a meaningful and impactful gift to show how much you care this Mother's Day! 💌 Celebrate someone special with a tribute donation in their honour and send a beautiful new printed card or e-card. Simply visit theslf.org/mothers-day-2025 OR call us at 1-888-203-9990 ext. 0. Thank you!

“We are a lifeline for our community," shares SLF partner Siyanqoba in South Africa. "We give them hope.” Many SLF partners serving communities affected by HIV are facing U.S. funding loss. You can help ensure their life-saving work continues: theslf.org/protect-progress-against-AIDS

Are you located within Canada and want to champion health and human rights through your work? Find out about our current remote and hybrid opportunities at the Stephen Lewis Foundation, and make sure you apply before the deadline: theslf.org/careers #hiringtoronto #hiringnow #nonprofitcareers

Faced with chaos caused by U.S. funding loss, SLF partners are persevering, as much as possible, to support their communities affected by the HIV epidemic. They know lives are at stake, and they have told us that giving up is not an option. www.devex.com/news/a-month...

Learn about this and more opportunities to join our dynamic and dedicated Stephen Lewis Foundation team at theslf.org/careers

Join the SLF’s advocacy efforts in the lead up to the Canadian federal election on April 28. We have an important opportunity to add our voices to a growing movement to ensure Canada remains a leader on global health and human rights. Get the election advocacy guide today: theslf.org/action-alert

This week, The Globe and Mail published an article titled, "Canada-hosted G7 and G8 summits have mattered before. They can matter again." Read the article by David Morley, Co-Chair of our SLF Board of Directors and member of the Order of Canada here: theslf.org/David-Morley-The-Globe-and-Mail

In this spring edition of our Grassroots newsletter, you'll find insights on community and courage, as decades of progress against AIDS is put at risk by U.S. funding loss. Find out how community-led organizations are navigating this new, devastating reality: theslf.org/GrassrootsSp...