Ava’s Jammies is an initiative by Ava Holtzman, a nine-year old American girl and daughter to Marc Holtzman, the Chairman of BK Group Plc while the Point Foundation is a UK voluntary and nonprofit organization committed to specific projects to support youth and children living in poverty in Rwanda and South Africa.
Marc Holtzman who represented Ava’s Jammies at the event held at Kigali Marriott Hotel handed the $60,000 cheque to Viateur Uwambajimana, who represented The Point Foundation which will implement the project which will among other activities, provide the youth with vocational skills.
The youth to benefit from the trainings are the disabled and other vulnerable, mostly those in the first and second Ubudehe categories in Bugesera District.
“This long term project will be implemented through Mwogo Integrated Development Programme. Part of the support will be used to provide the vulnerable youth with vocational trainings free of charge for nine months while they will undergo two months in internships,” Uwambajimana said.
Under the project implementation, a Vocational Training Centre was established in Bugesera District and already 45 youths are acquiring skills in hairdressing and tailoring.
Uwambajimana explained that after acquiring trainings, the youths will be supported to create cooperatives and start income generating projects.
Marc Holtzman, who spoke on behalf of Ava’s Jammies Organization, said the support was given following her daughter’s initiative to support vulnerable children.
“My family loves Rwanda. This is an activity of my 10-year old daughter Ava and it is just the beginning. Ava’s message is that no child should be left behind and everybody deserves the best in life,” said Holtzman, an American who owns dual citizenships among them Rwandan.
Holtzman commended President Kagame “who always sensitizes us to help others. What we do as Ava’s Jammies is based on that.”
Ava Holtzman first arrived in Rwanda in 2009 when she was eighteen months old. In 2014, Ava’s Jammies donated to children at Gisimba Orphanage in Kigali and since then, the Organization has donated over 3200 pajamas to children across Rwanda.
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