Episode 31: Dian Alyan
“Always be true to that inner voice, don’t ignore it. That voice is authentic, try to listen it.”
"Success doesn't always translate into fulfillment."
Dian Alyan, CEO, Givelight.org, on finding a divine purpose after the 2004 Tsunami
Born in Aceh, Indonesia, Dian Alyan started her career as an engineer for the leading multinational company, Proctor & Gamble. Dian quickly ascended in her career from managing a multimillion dollar business to flying across the world in corporate jets. In spite of living a high life and achieving wide success, Dian spent many sleepless nights and yearned for a sense of purpose.
Then one fateful day everything changed. On December 26, 2004, the tsunami devastated Indonesia taking 250,000 lives with it. Dian’s hometown of Aceh was the hardest hit. Dian lost forty family members in the tsunami disaster. Suddenly, there were 25,000 orphans in her town alone who needed homes.
Dian channeled her pain and grief into finding her mission in life. The tsunami led Dian to find GiveLight.org where she built homes for more than 800 orphaned children in 11 countries (and counting).
Podcast Details
Find out from the podcast how Dian:
- Left home at the age of 15 to pursue her education and career, which eventually brought her to the U.S.
- Went on a pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia and the two big prayers she made to God which transformed everything for her
- Found a divine purpose in the 2004 Tsunami
- Sought meaning through belonging, purpose, transcendence, and storytelling
- Got the clarity to help orphans including the many exhausting hours that she spent to fulfill her dream of finding Givelight.org
- Believes in doing her best and that saving just one life is equal to saving all of humanity
- Balances motherhood, work, personal development and self-care with intense discipline and time management
- Has to always be careful in who she trusts when serving a vulnerable population
- Empowers her volunteers in helping her run the non-profit
About Dian
Dian Alyan was born in Takengon, Central Aceh, Indonesia. She got her degree in engineering and joined Procter & Gamble Indonesia in Brand Management. A couple of years into her career, Dian was offered an expat assignment in Proctor & Gamble USA.
Dian lost 40 of her relatives in the December tsunami and she was determined to rebuild Aceh by saving as many of its orphans as possible. Dian started her non-profit, Givelight.org, which provides homes for orphans around the world. The first home was established in Aceh, a year after the tsunami.
Dian loves to read and travel. She enjoys cooking, connecting with people and learning languages of the world. She is the proud mom to two young boys.
Follow Dian on her website and Facebook.