In the heart of every crisis lies an opportunity for change, and for the founder of The Sparkle Foundation, that change ignited from a profound, life-altering experience in Malawi. With over 15 years in the charity sector and collaborations with over 50 organisations, this humanitarian’s journey began at the tender age of 18. A critical, eye-opening moment in Malawi, where the stark realities of racial disparities in healthcare were laid bare, sparked a relentless pursuit to alter the fate of at least one child. This marked the inception of The Sparkle Foundation, a beacon of hope and change.
We sat down with Sarah Brook, the founder of The Sparkle Foundation and spoke about her remarkable journey and her upcoming Dubai Gala, aiming to raise 1,000,000AED.
ZENITH: With over 15 years of experience in the charity sector and having worked with over 50 organisations, what inspired you to start The Sparkle Foundation and dedicate your life to humanitarian work?
SARAH: I was involved in humanitarian work at a young age. The pivotal point for me was when I was 18 years old, during my volunteer work in Malawi, I underwent a life-saving operation. When I woke up, I found out that children had tragically passed away while waiting to see the one doctor who prioritised to see me first because of my skin colour. At that moment, I made a decision that I would change the life of at least one child.
You have faced some significant personal challenges, including recovering from a severe brain injury and a coma. How have these experiences shaped your approach to your work and life?
I have had my fair share of challenges in this life and because of this, I ensure I make the most of every day. Before I go to bed at night, I always ask myself, ‘If I were to die tomorrow, would I have any regrets?’ After seven near-death experiences, one’s approach to life changes significantly. I take nothing for granted and I strive to appreciate all the small things in life. I am still working towards achieving a work-life balance, but being a humanitarian is ultimately a lifestyle choice. Despite the industry having one of the highest rates of burnout amongst employees, it is also the most rewarding, and I wouldn’t change it for the world. To be able to wake up every day with a purpose and the ability to change someone’s life is a dream come true.
You’ve been described as the ‘Tinder for Purpose’ for your talent in matchmaking companies and charities. Can you share a success story where this unique approach had a significant impact?
It’s our joy to help companies connect with causes that ultimately resonate with them. Al Tayer Stocks was once looking for an opportunity for their employees to be engaged with a charity, rather than just being donors. In the UAE, this proved to be a challenge as there are only a few charities registered here. However, The Sparkle Foundation stepped in and developed a bespoke package that aligned with their overall ESG strategy and Wellness Week. We organised various activities, from padel tournaments to spinning sessions, and invited the staff to volunteer with our event coordination and marketing in our offices. This initiative provided employees with opportunities to volunteer, stay fit as well and make a difference, all at the same time. This was so successful that the company is now sending two of their high-performing staff members to Malawi next year to visit the children.
As an award-winning TEDx speaker, what are the key messages you aim to convey in your talks? And what is your approach to making these talks impactful and purposeful?
The power of the human network is undeniable. I am a firm believer that you should always lead with kindness because without people you won’t prosper. Some of my biggest cheerleaders have been people I sat next to on a bus, went to school with as a child, or randomly met at a meeting. If I hadn’t been kind or left a good impression, would they have ever reached out to support me now? Probably not. Word of mouth has gotten me to where I am today and that is genuinely because I was always kind to the people around me, treating them how I would want to be treated, regardless of who they were. Authenticity guides my approach to ensuring my talks are impactful. I cannot pretend to be something I am not. I have failed, I mess up most days, I am not a polished image; I am human, and I am not afraid to speak out and be my honest self, regardless of how it may be perceived. My content is raw and from the heart. With 33 years of experience, I believe that at least one of the things I have gone through, a member of the audience will also have experienced and will be able to relate to.
Can you share more about the current projects of The Sparkle Foundation and the impact they are having on communities in the UK and beyond? Maybe touch on the work in the Middle East?
The Sparkle Foundation is currently supporting 15,000 children in Malawi, and we have created a best-practice model for grassroots charities. We aim to replicate this model in another district in Malawi and then expand into another country in Africa. Our holistic approach covers education, medical support, nutrition and community programmes. Unlike other charities, we prioritize looking at the whole picture. While we could have fed a million children by now, we don’t believe that this alone will ultimately change their future. For us, it is about equipping everyone in our care to be able to stand on their own two feet.
In the UK we host a series of events and maintain a volunteer network who support us across different areas of the business. During Covid-19 we were fortunate enough to see first-hand the positive impact volunteering can have on the mental health and well-beingof people, prompting us to expand our volunteer programme across Europe, giving everyone the chance to make a difference and feel good about it at the same time.
We registered the charity in the UAE in 2021 and launched at Expo 2020 in March 2022. Despite being the smallest charity ever to register here and the only one for Africa, 18 months later we have held the largest fundraiser for Malawi, a Gala event, with this year’s coming up next week in the world’s tallest building. For this, we are working with over 50 corporate companies and 10,000 students across the Middle East.
Could you share with us why philanthropy is so important to you and how it has influenced your worldview today?
My humanitarian work made me realize the reality that I won the geographic lottery by being born in the UK, granting me automatic access to education, healthcare and nutrition – Something 60% of children aren’t able to say today. From the moment I opened my eyes, I had privilege and if I do not recognise that and use it for good, then I cannot call myself a humanitarian. I believe we all have a duty to care for each other, and if we all just did something, no matter how big or small, we could make this world a better place. While I am still alive and know that change is a possibility, I will do everything I can to make it a reality.
In your journey as a humanitarian and founder of The Sparkle Foundation, what message would you like to convey to others about the importance and impact of philanthropy in today’s world?
I am just one individual with a dream, no different from anyone else. At school, my parents were told, “Hopefully she can find a profession in chatting, as I am not sure what other job she will be good at.” Look at how that turned out. We can do anything we want to; the only things limiting us from achieving our potential are ourselves and other people’s perceived opinions of us. I urge everyone to start somewhere, to take that initial step to do good and see where it leads. The world may seem darker than ever right now, and you might think that your voice doesn’t count. Look at what is happening right now in Palestine – the more people talk about it and share on social media, the more world leaders are being forced to try and take action. Every voice matters.
We held our first gala event over a year ago and it sold out within a week. EMIR then approached us and suggested making this event even bigger and better – make it a gala that everyone wants to attend in the UAE. That’s when we thought that the Burj Khalifa would be the perfect venue! Volunteers from every industry have come together to provide support, dedicating hundreds of hours to planning the gala event. Our main aim with Sparkle in the UAE is to create a movement of people who want to make a difference and have the ability to do so. This gala amplifies that, from those who donated auction prizes, sponsored the event, volunteered or even just attended. It’s a group effort and it makes me proud to call Dubai home. Sparkle is all about people coming together to do good and create brighter futures. The gala taking place on the 8th of December will be a testimony to that.
Finally, looking ahead, what are your long-term goals for The Sparkle Foundation, and how do you envision its growth and impact in the coming years?
I along with The Sparkle Foundation, aim to positively impact 100,000 lives by 2030. I want people to walk down the street and when someone mentions Sparkle, they have heard of us for our transformative programmes in education, healthcare and nutrition. I would like to see our successful model be replicated across Africa and be recognised by the United Nations as the go-to model for grassroots charities.
