AVA’S JAMMIES TO DISTRIBUTE FIRST BATCH OF PAJAMAS TO 1,000 RWANDAN ORPHANS

Ava’s Jammies to launch at Gisimba Orphanage on Tuesday, March 25 at 4:00 PM

Monday, March 24, 2014

(Kigali, Rwanda) – Ava’s Jammies, a non-profit organization inspired by five-year-old Ava Holtzman, will donate their first batch of pajamas to Rwandan orphans and children in need on Tuesday, March 25 at 4:00 PM at the Gisimba Orphanage in Kigali, Rwanda. Ava’s Jammies will donate 1,000 sets of pajamas to the Gisimba Orphanage and various other orphanages and organizations that serve Rwandan children.

“Pajamas are comfy and keep people warm,” said Ava Holtzman, founder of Ava’s Jammies. “I thought all children should have pajamas and I did not think anyone else was doing something like this.”

Ava first visited Rwanda in June 2009 when she was eighteen months old. Ava’s visit to Rwanda included the Gisimba Orphanage in Kigali, where she was warmly received by the dozens of boys and girls who lived at the orphanage. Since that visit, Ava has developed a passion for helping the orphans she met at such a young age. Ava, who has always loved pajamas, thought it would be a wonderful idea to design and distribute pajamas to children who needed them. At the end of a long day, she has always looked forward to changing into her jammies and relaxing in her “comfy clothes.” She wanted to give other children the same, simple luxury.

“I’m delighted and moved by Ava’s kindness toward children thousands of miles away,” said Damas Gisimba, director of the Gisimba Orphanage. “The Gisimba Orphanage is honored to be chosen as the first orphanage to receive Ava’s Jammies. May God bless her in this journey.”

The Gisimba Orphanage was founded in the 1980’s by Dancilla and Peter Gisimba to provide a home for children in Rwanda and is currently home to approximately 120 children and young adults.

“Ava’s Jammies is proof that there is no age requirement for philanthropy,” said James Gatera, board member of Ava’s Jammies and Chief Executive Officer of The Bank of Kigali. “Whether you are five or eighty-five, you can help make a difference.”

“Every child deserves a good night,” said Charles Trace, Chairman of the UK based Point Foundation and board member of Ava’s Jammies. “Ava’s Jammies hopes to give children the simple luxury of a new set of pajamas.”

The Point Foundation, a non-profit charity that targets projects in Rwanda and other parts of Africa, will help Ava’s Jammies with the distribution of the remaining pajamas throughout Rwanda. The Point Foundation has helped thousands of orphans in Africa though projects targeting health, welfare and education.

In addition to the Gisimba Orphanage, Ava’s Jammies will also distribute pajamas to Les Enfants de Dieu on Friday, May 28 at 10:00 AM.

Designed by Ava, the jammies are a blend of cotton (95%) and spandex (5%). The girl and boy’s pajamas are two pieces, long sleeve and long pant.

More information on Ava’s Jammies, including pictures of the first batch of pajamas and donation information, can be found at avajammies.org

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