When Cheryl Robeson Piggott founded World Orphans Day in 2009, the idea was straightforward: dedicate one day each year to focus attention on orphans and vulnerable children worldwide. Fifteen years later, what began as a single awareness initiative has grown into an internationally recognized observance marked in over 100 countries, with endorsements from African presidents, kings, princes, and thousands of municipal leaders.
The second Monday of November now serves as a rallying point for charitable giving and collaborative partnerships, coordinated through The Stars Foundation in Nashville. The organization has helped facilitate the distribution of more than $114 million in goods-in-kind since its inception, supporting medical, nutritional, educational, and community programs.
From Local Recognition to International Endorsement
The journey from concept to global recognition involved building relationships across multiple sectors. Piggott, a former Tennessee Ambassador of Goodwill appointed by Governor Bill Haslam, leveraged connections in entertainment, business, faith communities, and government to expand the initiative’s reach. Building a strong base in the early years of The Stars Foundation, celebrity supporters engaged in fundraising efforts through platforms of golf and motorsports. With celebrities including Vince Gill, Colleen Brooks, Geoff Bodine, John Andretti, David Thompson, Boomer Esiason and NFL Coach Sam Wyche, Piggott brought star power to the media sponsors for a perfect collaboration. The foundation’s advocacy work caught the attention of international leaders, including AMICAALL, an organization representing over 6,000 mayors and municipal leaders across 13 African countries.
President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda attended an AMICAALL proclamation ceremony in 2016. Former Malawi President Peter Mutharika and First Lady Gertrude Mutharika served as Global Patrons, as did Prince Ermias Sahle Selassie in the early years. More recently, the organization has partnered with the African First Ladies Peace Mission, working alongside Secretary General Jewel Howard Taylor and First Ladies across the continent.
Raising Visibility Through Strategic Partnerships
This year marks a significant milestone in public visibility. On November 10, a Times Square billboard will spotlight World Orphans Day, bringing the message to one of the world’s most watched advertising spaces. The foundation has also collaborated with NRB TV and other media partners to amplify awareness.
High-profile events have punctuated the foundation’s growth. A 2019 World Orphans Day Summit in Nashville featured the Deputy Prime Minister of Eswatini and included a proclamation ceremony at Kix Brooks’ Arrington Vineyards. Later in 2020, King Mswati of Eswatini mandated his Embassy’s to help sponsor resolutions into the UN for an observed World Orphans Day. This was on his national television news. In 2024, The Stars Foundation hosted First Lady Monica Chakwera of Malawi for another awareness event.
What Comes Next
With the support of the International community for World Orphans Day, now The Stars Foundation is setting its future goals to seek more recognition for the day by the US Congress and the President of the United States. That remains a key objective for Piggott, who serves as Co-Chair of the African Coalition USA and has an office in Washington, DC with the Coalition.
The target audience for these global awareness campaigns remains high-net-worth philanthropists and donors concerned with vulnerable children. With international recognition established, the push now is for corresponding acknowledgment in the country where the movement began—a full-circle moment that would validate 15 years of building something rare: a truly global day of awareness that started with one person’s commitment to making orphaned children visible.
