Our Story
The dream for Ava's Jammies was inspired after Ava visited Gisimba Orphanage in Rwanda when she was a young child. She saw that the children in this community lived in underprivileged conditions and dressed in worn-out clothing. Ava, deeply fond of her jammies, asked her mother where their pajamas were. Her mother tenderly explained that they likely wore their clothing to bed. After hearing her mother's heartbreaking reply, Ava concluded that she wanted to help provide a simple luxury to children in need. Not only did Ava's PJs serve as a source of comfort to her after a tiring day, but they also improved her sleep quality. She felt that "every child deserved a good night", and worked with her mother to establish Ava's Jammies, a nonprofit organization that aimed to distribute pajamas to underprivileged children. "Every child deserves a good night" is our vision statement to this day.
For the next decade, Ava collaborated with her mother on running Ava's Jammies. Over the years, however, the children would wear their new set of jammies during the day and occasionally to church! The pink shade originally intended for the girls and the blue for the boys did not matter to the kids who received them; both pairs became gender neutral. Ultimately, the organization concluded that the need for new clothing was so immense that it surpassed the need for a little luxury like pajamas.
Further, when Ava was a junior in high school, she completed an independent study on Nonprofit Management. She wanted to ensure she was equipped with the tools and skills to effectively lead Ava's Jammies. During this process, she had the opportunity to meet with John Krieger, the CEO of World Denver, a community-building organization that fosters cultural exchange and international collaboration. He emphasized the importance of cultural competency when working in the international nonprofit sector. Ava realized that instead of making uninformed assumptions about what was most needed in underprivileged communities, it was essential that she first gather input from local representatives on which initiatives could be most beneficial to youth in the area.
On-site leaders, such as our advisory board member Mr. Viateur Uwambajimana, know their communities best and have strong suggestions for future programs. Through a collaborative relationship, the foundation partners with community representatives to tailor an advocacy approach that most effectively addresses the varying needs of different economically disadvantaged areas.
The children in Rwanda were simply thrilled to have a new pair of clothing, and did not wear pajamas at all. Ava realized the organization needed to expand its initiatives through a stronger foundation of cultural competency and global awareness. That epiphany outlined the vision for a new chapter called "Friendship Bags". A major initiative of the nonprofit, Friendship Bags focuses on identifying the greatest needs in an underprivileged community, and then addressing those inequities through a bag of essential goods. Items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, toys, and books, along with a signature friendship bracelet, are included in the bag. Along with the bags, the foundation is committed to raising money for other local projects the community could most benefit from, such as a playground in Mwogo.
Friendship Bags and community grants, tailored by the people who know their communities best.