About Us
Meet Marie!
She is one of our friends in Burkina Faso.
Join Lighting the Path in creating sustainable solutions to alleviate poverty and enrich lives.
Empowering Lives with Love, Respect, and Opportunity
At Lighting the Path, we believe every person deserves to know they are important, valued, and deeply loved. Regardless of background, ability, or circumstance, every life holds immeasurable worth and potential. That belief drives everything we do.
Marie’s Story: A Life Transformed
Marie was born a “little person” in a culture where physical differences are often met with exclusion, not acceptance. She was never allowed to go to school or learn a trade, and was considered different, overlooked, and without potential.
But Marie is bright, determined, and full of hope. We had the privilege of coming alongside her with encouragement, love—and a specially adapted sewing machine she could use with ease. We taught her how to sew and gave her the tools and training to start a small business. Today, Marie runs her own sewing business, lives in her own small hut, and earns enough income to support herself.
Her radiant smile says it all. Confidence. Joy. Dignity. Purpose.
Marie is no longer seen as different—she’s seen as strong. She is now self-reliant, empowered, and inspiring others.
Our Mission: Lighting the Path Forward
We exist to create sustainable solutions to alleviate poverty and enrich lives. Our approach begins with love and listening. We build trust through relationships, seek to understand each community’s unique needs, and design programs that equip individuals to succeed on their own terms.
We focus on:
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Economic empowerment through vocational training, education, and micro-finance
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Cultural respect and personal dignity in all of our outreach
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Self-reliance and sustainability, not dependency
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Leadership development and community-based mentorship
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Training individuals to help others, multiplying impact over time
Why It Matters
Poverty is one of the greatest barriers to education, healthcare, opportunity—and hope. But we’ve seen first-hand how the cycle can be broken. By providing training, tools, and encouragement, we empower people to discover their own strength and build stable, fulfilling lives.
Since our founding, we’ve helped hundreds of individuals, families, and communities in multiple countries transform their futures through practical support rooted in love.
Join Us in Lighting the Path
We invite you to be a part of this life-changing mission. Whether you partner through prayer, giving, volunteering, or spreading the word, your support helps us reach more people like Marie—people who just need someone to believe in them and walk beside them as they discover their strength.
Empowering individuals
with powerful and sustainable solutions and skills to help them to become more self-reliant and thrive.
Helping people
meeting basic needs and improve living conditions.
Providing resources
to learn skills and improve opportunities to prosper while instilling self-confidence and hope .
showing love
in all that we do and everywhere we go, encouraging others to learn about Christ and follow the gospel.
Making an effort
to assist those who are in need , but lack resources.
supporting the overlooked
to meet needs, inspire self worth and give them a future
Founder
The CEO and founder of Lighting The Path
Dawn has volunteered with the national Girl Scout organization for over 16 years training and coordinating volunteers, developing and implementing programs, planning social and training events and working with adults and girls of all ages and backgrounds. She is an active volunteer at local schools and in her community working with Operation Food Search, Room at the Inn Shelter, Circle of Concern food pantry and other community charities. She does mission work to help those in need worldwide.
“Working with missionaries in West Africa was supposed to be a short-term commitment, but it opened my heart to a life purpose and passion of empowering others and ending poverty. I’m so honored and fortunate to be able to impact lives, empower those in need and show them the love of Christ, all while partnering with some of the most passionate and driven people on the globe.” – Dawn Malcolm
Meet Our Board
DAWN MALCOLM – Lighting the Path Founder, CEO and Project Developer and Executive Director
SUSAN SCHLUETER – Vocational Program Specialist
KAREN ROBINSON MOORE – Grant Researcher, Project Resource and Facility Specialist
REBECCA JO SHEPHERD – Accounting Director/Treasurer
BARBARA RUIZ – Secretary
JANICE MCFARLAND – Program Director
The Board of Directors of Lighting the Path Enterprises take seriously the responsibility that is placed on us to be transparent and accountable in all of our dealings. It is vitally important that our supporters, donors, partners and the communities with whom we work have the utmost confidence in all we do.
This is why we have put in place systems of governance, accountability and transparency, Our organization has a zero tolerance approach to any form of corruption, fraud or wrongdoing and will be diligent in our efforts to aid others and will pursue any of these issues thoroughly, if ever suspected.
We provide sustainable solutions to marginalized populations.
Lighting the Path works with other mission and outreach organizations to identify impoverished areas and disadvantaged people who would most benefit and would like assistance. After first making sure to meet nutrition, health and education needs, we help groups and individuals improve or start their own enterprise and production of marketable products. Our commitment, service, friendship and efforts show these people they are valued and we care, which means a lot to them. In their culture, if someone shares and helps you, they are family. We are then able to share God’s Word and further build relationships.
Maintaining respect for cultural and social practices and making sure to respect and maintain the dignity of the individual is a priority. Once people are able to meet their own needs and improve their families standard of living, they are excited and able to teach others and this increases the effectiveness of our efforts and expands the mission.
