TORONTO, ON – July 30, 2025
Partners In Health Canada is honoured to receive a $1-million grant from The Slaight Family Foundation to support health systems in Sierra Leone and Malawi amid unprecedented reductions in U.S. foreign aid.
The gift is part of the Foundation’s exceptional $13-million commitment to provide emergency support to 13 Canadian NGOs working to uphold the rights of women, children and families around the world. “We hope this funding will help sustain access to health care, food, education and protection for the world’s most vulnerable,” said Gary Slaight, President and CEO of The Slaight Family Foundation.
U.S. funding cuts have severely impacted health programs across Malawi and Sierra Leone, straining ministry of health capacity in both countries, jeopardizing supply chains and national health infrastructure, and putting crucial progress at risk.
Support from The Slaight Family Foundation to PIH Canada will provide critical backing for frontline staff, including midwives, nurses, obstetricians and teen counsellors, and ensure continuation of essential services and operations including maternal waiting homes, adolescent clinics, blood banks, and in-service training and mentorship. Programming will allow PIH to build on recent successes in reducing maternal deaths and stillbirths, uptake of family planning, and management and prevention of gender-based violence.
By supporting critical operational costs, The Slaight Family Foundation is helping protect the continuity of care and reinforce the systems PIH works to build up every day.
“In this time of urgent need for so many, it’s inspiring and humbling to receive support that directly responds to the needs faced by our patients, colleagues, and under-resourced public health systems,” said Mark Brender, National Director of Partners In Health Canada. “The solidarity and generosity being shown by The Slaight Family Foundation will protect services that save lives every day and build a healthier future for communities we serve. We couldn’t be more grateful.”
About The Slaight Family Foundation
The Slaight Family Foundation was established in 2008 by John Allan Slaight. Allan Slaight (1931-2021), known as Canada’s broadcast pioneer, was a leader in the music industry and a prominent Canadian philanthropist. Through his generosity, the Foundation proactively supports charitable initiatives in the areas of healthcare, at-risk youth, international development, social services and culture. Allan’s son, Gary Slaight, oversees the foundation as President & CEO, The Slaight Family Foundation.
