Humanist Global Charity

Humanist Global Charity (HGC) is a 501c3 non-profit in California.

Humanist Global Charity
AbbreviationHGC
Formation2013
Type501(c)(3) non-profit
Legal statusActive
Region served
Worldwide
Key people
Phil Zuckerman (Executive Director)

Karen Zelevinsky (Board President)

Hank Pellissier (Founder, Program Director)
Websitehttps://humanistglobal.charity/

HGC was founded by Hank Pellissier, who stated in an interview that the organization "works toward a world with humanist values that respects science, secular education, sustainability, kindness, peace and democracy".[1] The nonprofit provides secular support to at-risk populations internationally, via educational opportunities, technological solutions, health assistance and small business grants. HGC's work funds secular education, humanist students, women's collectives, orphans, safe houses, and helplines. It also offers internships in Africa & India Development.[2]

History

HGC's original name was the Brighter Brains Institute, founder Hank Pellissier launched its activities in 2015 by starting the "world’s first atheist orphanage" in Muhokya, Uganda.[3] The director - Bwambale Robert Musubaho - was orphaned himself at the age of five; he renounced religion in the early 2000s after researching his doubts and finding community on the internet.[4] BBI raised enough money via crowdfunding to also build two ‘humanist’ primary schools and a secondary school near the orphanage. Freedom From Religion Foundation described the schools as "groundbreaking".[5]

BBI expanded its secular activities throughout western Uganda, building classrooms for a remote school in the Rwenzori mountains,[6] and constructing another humanist secondary school in Kanunga, the site of a 2000 Christian cult massacre. Brighter Brains Humanist Secondary School in Kanunga included a Richard Dawkins Science Laboratory[7] and a Christopher Hitchens Freethinker Library.[8] Funds were partially raised via promotion in the UK publication THE FREETHINKER.

In 2020–2021, BBI changed its name to Humanist Global Charity and expanded internationally.[1]

Projects

HGC provides about $100,000 a year for humanitarian aid projects.[1] In addition to founding and supporting several humanist schools and orphanages in Uganda,[5] HGC has funded sixteen humanist clinics that provided free medicine,[1] works to dispel belief in witch doctors in superstitious communities,[9] and distributes sanitary pads (AFRIPads) in Africa, India, and Nepal.[1] HGC has partnered with women's collectives and LGBTQ organizations to emphasize equality and provide sex education, family planning, and birth control.[2]

Board of directors

References
  1. "Humanist Global Charity: Doing Good Without God". Edhat. 2021-05-20. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
  2. "Transhumanist Hank Pellissier on Being an "Atheist Missionary"". TheHumanist.com. 2016-07-21. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
  3. "The World's First Atheist Orphanage Has Launched a Crowdfunding Campaign". www.vice.com. 24 February 2015. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
  4. Sloat, Sarah (26 April 2016). "An Atheist Ugandan Orphanage Beats Back Superstition and Zealotry With Science". Inverse. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
  5. Seering, Lauryn. "BiZoHa is groundbreaking secular orphanage - Freedom From Religion Foundation". ffrf.org. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
  6. "Nonprofit building 'Piedmont Classroom' in Uganda". The Mercury News. 2016-06-22. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
  7. Freethinker, The (2019-01-08). "Man reads 'The God Delusion', abandons faith & starts a Dawkins lab". The Freethinker. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
  8. Freethinker, The (2019-01-17). "Christopher Hitchens Library to open at Ugandan humanist school". The Freethinker. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
  9. "Piedmont High students paint to help Ugandan orphans". East Bay Times. 2018-03-23. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
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