Championing health and human rights with community-led partners to end AIDS in sub–Saharan Africa.

The Stephen Lewis Foundation is a progressive, feminist organization rooted in the principles of social justice, international solidarity, and substantive equality. The SLF was created with the express purpose of supporting community-led organizations working on the frontlines of the HIV epidemic in countries across sub-Saharan Africa.

Many of these grassroots organizations were originally formed by small groups of individuals responding to the crisis AIDS had wrought in their own lives and in the lives of their neighbours. Over the years, they have developed into thriving local institutions with deep connections to their communities. The SLF’s community-led partners are turning the tide of HIV and AIDS by providing care and support to women, orphaned children, LGBTIQ individuals, grandmothers and people living with HIV and AIDS.

The Stephen Lewis Foundation is ideological, and actively strives to meet the highest ethical and human rights standards in all of our work, including our policies and processes. We feel deeply accountable to the people and organizations we work with in sub-Saharan Africa. The care, intensity, imagination, and sense of urgency with which we carry out this work reflects the depth of our commitment and the dedication of our staff members, volunteers, and supporters. These values and principles guide us in our decision-making and in challenging and shifting dominant paradigms around fundraising, partnering, and international development.

Vision

An equitable and just world where all people’s right to health is realized.

Mission

We deliver funds and other resources directly to community-led organizations who are leading responses to HIV and AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. These organizations empower women and girls, grandmothers, orphaned and vulnerable children, LGBTIQ communities, and people living with HIV.

We advocate for global health and philanthropic communities to engage in partnering, fundraising, and international development that shifts power to community-led organizations, and dismantles the inequalities driving the HIV and AIDS epidemic.

Values

The Stephen Lewis Foundation is a feminist organization rooted in the principles of anti-colonialism and anti-racism. Our values reflect how these principles are expressed in our work, and in our relationships with partners, donors and supporters.

Solidarity

We are united with all who pursue justice in the HIV movement, including our African community-led partners whose expertise is critical to ending the epidemic, and with other justice-seeking movements working for a more equitable world.

Optimism

We celebrate the generosity and purpose that drives our work and the joy of its impact.

Anti-oppression

We recognize the existence of systemic oppression, including the criminalization of people living with HIV and those within LGBTIQ communities, and work toward the liberation, freedom, and realization of the rights of all people. We honour people’s lived experiences and unique identities.

Courage

We are defiant in the face of inequitable power structures and bring creativity, vulnerability and strength to our work.

Respect

We value contributions from our partners, supporters and each other, and actively cultivate relationships of mutual trust.

Accountability

We meet our responsibilities, are transparent in our actions, and commit to ongoing learning and self-reflection.